A Florida homeless man found luxury. He moved into a stadium luxury suite, police say
A homeless man somehow got into Al Lang Stadium and lived in a luxury suite for nearly two weeks, police said.
Daniel Albert Neja, 39, was arrested Sunday after a cleaning crew entered the room where he was staying and found razors, opened shaving cream containers and blankets, St. Petersburg police spokeswoman Yolanda Fernandez said.
Fernandez said the cleaning crew had not been in the room for some time because the space was supposed to be empty and cleaning activity was limited due to COVID-19.
Surveillance footage showed that he had been in the facility since July 26.
The Tampa Bay Rowdies soccer team plays in the stadium and the Rays play spring training games there.
Neja was arrested on charges of burglary and resisting an officer without violence. He was being held in the Pinellas County jail Thursday in lieu of $5,150 bail, records show.
Officers do not know how Neja entered the stadium, but suspect that he was able to blend in with the cleaning crew, Fernandez said.
The value of the clothing he took was $1,043 and he also consumed $250 in drinks, arrest reports state.
Mayor’s Office spokesman Ben Kirby declined to comment, citing that the case is an ongoing investigation. The stadium is owned by the city of St. Petersburg.
Stadium security reviewed surveillance video and found that Neja had been entering the merchandise store and food area. He was wearing Rowdies clothing and eating the food that he had found, Fernandez said.
