Footage of a woman emerging from her secret home inside a sign on top of a Family Dollar store has been released by police after her story went viral.
The 34-year-old woman had been living in the sign on top of the retailer in Michigan for about a year, she told officers as they escorted her off the property.
Her accommodation even included bedding, a desk, a houseplant, a computer printer, a Keurig coffeemaker and food.
The woman, who has not been named by officials, said the dark, makeshift dwelling worked for her because of an allergy she had to the sun. She even said she was able to live in the space in the winter after spending some time in Alaska.
Police had caught on to the woman’s home when a contractor found the residence, MLive reported.
“It was crazy. I about had a heart attack,” the contractor told police, per video obtained by the outlet. “This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever found.”
The responding officers who interacted with the woman took a different approach, calling the dwelling impressive and commenting on how it smelled like garlic.
The manager of the Family Dollar store had asked the woman to leave, stating that her being on the roof was a liability that could cost employees their jobs should something happen to her.
She hasn’t been charged with a crime and the manager of the store said she’d take care of her belongings and would leave them in a safe space for her.
The store employee said she’d tried to get the woman, dubbed the “roof ninja” to come out of the sign before but she disappeared before officers could come into contact with her.
The woman declined to say how she’d been getting onto the roof when asked by officers. When she returned the question, police said they had to use a ladder to speak to her, saying “We’re not a roof ninja”.
With that, the woman came out of the home in a balaclava, Puma track jacket, Adidas track pants, gloves and large ski goggles. An officer said the department was familiar with the woman and had been getting calls about her due to her appearance.
She said she’d known about the hideaway for a while, calling it a “safe spot”.
City officials have tried to set her up with assistance, but she’s declined the offers. Both the woman and the store manager were able to engage in a conversation as the “roof ninja” was being escorted off the property, the outlet reported.
The manager warned the woman that if she returned to the property, she’ll be arrested for trespassing. She was encouraged to find somewhere safe to spend the night, but replied “Trust me, it’s safer up there than it is on ground level right now.” The woman identified herself as homeless to the police.
Following widespread media attention from the story, Family Dollar donated $10,000 to a local nonprofit working with homeless populations.
