Creative Commons A different Family Fare grocery store.
Contractors discovered a 34-year-old woman living inside a rooftop sign at a Family Fare grocery store in Midland, Michigan, complete with a Keurig coffee machine and a food pantry inside, Midland police say.
Heavy reached out to Midland Police Spokesman, Officer Brennon Warren for details. He told Heavy in an emailed statement that police “were notified by store staff that contractors that were working on the roof that day located her living in a rooftop sign.”
Warren confirmed that the woman is 34 years old. She has not been publicly identified. “This occurred on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at approximately 2:06 p.m.,” he wrote Heavy on May 11.
The Midland Daily News quoted Warren as saying of the contractors, “They were like ‘OMG, someone is living in that sign.’ I’ve never seen anything like this before in my career.”
The Midland Daily News reported that police named the woman “Rooftop Ninja.” However, Warren disputed that point, writing, “We did not nickname her the ‘Rooftop Ninja.’ That information was provided to us in the original 911 call.”
The woman was discovered on April 23 after contractors noticed an extension cord running to the sign, Warren’s statement says.
The Police Spokesman Says It Was ‘Just Somebody Living Up in a Sign’
GettyA different Keurig coffee machine.
The woman had a number of items inside the sign, as if it were a home, Warren’s statement said.
“She had flooring, a mini desk, computer, printer, a Keurig, a pantry of food and other miscellaneous items,” the police statement reads.
“This was a triangular sign on top of the roof. I would estimate that it was 10’-15’ in length, 5’ feet wide and approximately 6’-8’ tall, at its highest peak,” Warren wrote.
“She was homeless,” Warren told the Associated Press. “It’s a story that makes you scratch your head, just somebody living up in a sign.”
The woman, who was not identified, told police she had a job, AP reported.
“There was some flooring that was laid down. A mini desk,” Warren told AP. “Her clothing. A Keurig coffee maker. A printer and a computer — things you’d have in your home.” She also had a houseplant inside the sign, according to Midland Daily News.
Police Determined That the Woman Was ‘Living Up There’ for Approximately 1 Year
Midland policeMidland police car.
NBC News reported that the sign advertised the store.
Police say they tried to help the woman out, but she refused.
“We made contact with her and she was advised she was not allowed to live there. She was formally trespassed from the store and was provided with information on services within our area, however, she did not wish for any of those,” Warren’s statement says.
“She left without incident and the store was going to work with her on retrieving all of her property at a later time. It had been determined she was living up there for approximately a year. It is unknown how she was getting up onto the roof,” he wrote.
Police think she has a car, Midland Daily News reported. However, Warren said police do not think she has a vehicle.