Midland, MI– A contractor performing maintenance work on the roof of a Midland grocery store noticed something unusual about the store’s sign.
Upon opening a small door on the back of the sign, he discovered a woman who had turned the sign into her apartment. She claimed to have been residing there for a year.
“It was crazy. I about had a heart attack,” the worker told responding Midland police officers, according to video footage of the incident. “This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever found.”
The 34-year-old woman emerged from the sign dressed head to toe in black — including a balaclava, Puma track jacket, Adidas pants, gloves, and large ski goggles. Inside her makeshift living space were bedding, a desk, a computer and printer, a houseplant, a Keurig coffeemaker, and food.
“This is pretty genius, honestly,” one officer remarked upon arriving at the scene.
Police responded to the surprise squatter at Family Fare, located at 2026 N. Saginaw Road, just after 2 p.m. on April 23.
A contractor told the police they’ve asked the woman to come out from the sign, but she refused.
The store manager says she’s called the police on the woman in the past, but she vanished before officers arrived.
Officers climbed a ladder to the roof and got the woman to open the small metal door to the sign. When officers asked the woman how she’s been getting on the roof, she evaded the question.
“Believe it or not, you got a nickname,” one told her.
“Oh, what’s that, Spider-Man or something?” she asked.
“No, Roof Ninja. Tell me that ain’t cool,” the officer said.
“That’s true,” she laughed.
The officers again asked the woman how she managed to get onto the roof as they escorted her to the ladder.
“I really don’t want to say in the event of needing to get up here at some point,” she replied.
Police offered to drive the woman somewhere or to get her assistance with Midland’s Open Door crisis shelters and soup kitchen. The woman declined all help, saying she “can’t go to those places.”
The woman was not issued a citation, but was told that she would be arrested if she returns to Family Fare’s property.