A woman in the US lived inside a store (Family Fare) sign for a year, revealed by an exposed extension cord
Michigan authorities shared that the woman informed them of having a job elsewhere but was actually residing within the Family Fare sign for approximately a year until she was discovered on April 23.
It was disclosed that a 34-year-old woman called the business of a store in Midland, Michigan, her home.
The woman resided within the store sign for nearly a year
She explained to authorities that she had alternative employment
She managed to connect to electricity using an extension cord on the store’s roof
An unusual revelation unfolded when contractors noticed an extension cord on the roof of a grocery store in Michigan. Upon investigation, they found a 34-year-old woman living inside the business sign. The woman had ample space to accommodate a computer, printer, and coffee maker, according to the police.
Officer Brennon Warren from the Midland Police Department remarked, “She was in a homeless situation. It’s quite a perplexing tale to find someone living up in a sign.”
The woman, whose identity was withheld, informed the police that she was employed elsewhere but had been dwelling within the Family Fare sign for around a year. She was located on April 23.
Midland, renowned for being the global headquarters of Dow Inc., is located 130 miles north of Detroit.
The Family Fare store forms part of a retail strip featuring a triangular sign on the building’s apex. The sign structure, which is roughly 5 feet wide and 8 feet high, includes a door and is accessible from the roof, as per Officer Warren.
“A sort of flooring was laid out. There was a small desk,” he detailed. “Her clothing, a Keurig coffee maker, a printer, and a computer – things you’d typically have at home.”
Warren noted that the woman accessed electricity through a power cord that was plugged into an outlet on the roof.
Notably, there were no signs of a ladder. The possibility remains that the woman ascended to the roof by climbing from an alternative location behind the store or neighboring retail establishments.
“In all honesty, I am unsure how she managed to get up there. This was not divulged by her either,” Warren added.
A representative from SpartanNash, the parent company of Family Fare, conveyed that store personnel responded to the situation with empathy and professionalism.
“Addressing the widespread concern regarding sufficient safe and affordable housing is a pressing issue that demands community cooperation,” remarked Adrienne Chance, who refrained from further elaboration.
Warren indicated that the woman cooperated and agreed to vacate promptly. No formal charges were pursued.
“We provided her with information on local services,” Warren stated. “She expressed remorse and proceeded on her way. Her subsequent whereabouts are unknown to us.”
The director of a local nonprofit organization specializing in food and shelter support underscored the necessity for increased housing for low-income residents in Midland, a town whose population stands at 42,000.
“As someone who aids the homeless, I must acknowledge her resourcefulness,” said Saralyn Temple from Midland’s Open Door. “While we appreciate ingenuity, resorting to illicit means for housing supply is discouraged. There are better alternatives available.”
Woman made a home behind the rooftop sign of the store, complete with furniture and appliances
A 34-year-old woman was found residing within the rooftop sign of a Michigan supermarket where she had set up a mini desk, flooring, apparel, food supplies, a printer, and even a houseplant, the police revealed.
Workers inspecting the roof of a Family Fare Supermarket in Midland stumbled upon the woman on April 23 occupying the sign. Brennon Warren, spokesperson for the Midland Police Department, relayed the discovery to USA TODAY.
“The workers discovered an extension cord connecting from one of the roof units to this specific sign where she was living,” Warren disclosed.
Warren highlighted that the Family Fare sign in question is distinct from conventional signs seen at major retail chains like Target or Walmart. Situated within a hollow peak syndromic to the top of the supermarket’s roof, there exists a 3 by 4-foot access portal behind the sign, Warren described.
“There was ample space for entry,” he affirmed.
How did authorities persuade the woman to leave the sign?
Following the workers’ encounter with the woman, the store management alerted Midland police. Upon arriving on the scene, law enforcement conversed with the woman directly on the roof. “She acknowledged and assured she was departing,” relayed the spokesperson.
Although the woman was not formally charged, she was instructed not to return to the premises, Warren stated. The woman acknowledged and agreed to comply with these directives.
Midland police shared relevant information about available services with the woman but she showed disinterest in availing them, as per Warren.
‘We praise our staff members’ efforts’
The woman vacated the store’s sign on the same day, albeit leaving some possessions behind due to logistical constraints, stated the spokesperson. The establishment engaged with the woman to facilitate the transfer of her remaining belongings, Warren mentioned.
“We commend our personnel for their compassionate and professional response to this situation,” the Family Fare Supermarkets franchise conveyed in a written statement to USA TODAY. “The dire need for ample, secure, and cost-effective housing remains a widespread issue that necessitates collaborative community efforts to address.”
Woman dubbed as the “Rooftop Ninja”
Referred to by the public as the “Rooftop Ninja,” the woman garnered this epithet owing to her covert residence within the sign and her ability to elude detection for nearly a year, according to Warren.
“People would occasionally spot her, only for her to disappear without a trace,” the spokesperson recounted. “There was perpetual uncertainty concerning her whereabouts with no inkling that she could be nestled atop the roof.”
Authorities remain unfamiliar with the woman’s mode of rooftop access and she has not disclosed this information, Warren indicated.
“In my ten-year tenure here in Midland, such an anomaly has never arisen,” the spokesperson declared. “This turn of events was unforeseen, and my best wishes are extended to her.”
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