Video Shows Moment Police Found Woman Living in Grocery Store Sign: She Called It Her 'Safe Spot'
The 34-year-old unidentified woman has not been charged, according to police
The woman who lived in a Michigan grocery store sign for about a year told police it was an "old safe spot," according to body camera footage.
A contractor was performing maintenance work on the roof of the Family Fare Supermarket in Midland on April 23 when he opened a small door on the back of the store sign and was greeted by the woman, MLive.com reported.
Midland Police Officer Brennon Warren previously told the outlet that there appeared to be “some flooring that was laid down” and “a mini desk,” as well as clothing, a Keurig coffee maker, a printer and a computer.
According to the Associated Press and MLive.com, the 34-year-old woman has not been identified, and she has not been charged with any crimes. In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, police released body-camera footage of their interaction with the woman, and the video was published on Tuesday, May 21.
"I'm moving out of here in 24 hours to get away from all of this," the woman told officers. When one officer told her she had to come out, she said she didn't want to leave any of her "stuff."
It is unclear how the woman continually accessed the roof. She told officers she had been living there for about a year, MLive.com previously reported.
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The cop eventually told the woman she has a nickname: "Roof Ninja." “That’s true,” she said with a laugh.
"People would see her from time to time and then all of a sudden she would vanish," Warren told USA Today. "No one really knew where she went but no one ever indicated or thought that she would be up on top of the roof."
When asked how she found the space, the woman said the "old safe spot," claiming it was known to her family.
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"This is impressive," said another cop. Both even remarked on how clean it looked.
Per the body-camera footage, the 34-year-old asked the authorities how they got up on the roof. “Ladder,” one of them said. “We’re not a roof ninja.”
Mlive.com reported that the woman was later offered assistance at a crisis shelter or soup kitchen, but she declined. She was also told she would be arrested if she returned to the property.
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She since hasn't come back to the roof, according to ABC affiliate WJRT.
In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, SpartanNash, the parent company of Family Fare, said that store employees responded “with the utmost compassion and professionalism.”
The company went on to add that "ensuring there is ample safe, affordable housing continues to be a widespread issue nationwide that our community needs to partner in solving."
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