This story is from last Summer and I've had it sitting on my desktop and just now making time to post it.

I don't quite know why but the perverse side of me could almost see this story as the basis for a TV sitcom.

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A Florida homeless man found luxury. He moved into a stadium luxury suite, police say



Rose Wong
August 13, 2020

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.

Well it already was a movie a long time ago. I find myself rooting for the guy

TCM - It Happened on 5th Avenue

^^^^^

Ha. I haven't seen the movie...but I should've known.

I manage professional sports fields/stadiums and this happens more than people are ever aware, but it’s typically internal employees. I was apart of one organization and found that an intern was living in the suites. His gambling habit got the better of him and he couldn’t ever keep rent money in his pocket. He had been sleeping in the stadium for most of the summer season.

quote:

resisting an officer without violence

Is this saying "No" to an officer?

More than one mall maintenance guy has carved out a space to call home in the nether reaches. I've done plumbing in some *very* old buildings and have seen the same thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:

quote:

resisting an officer without violence

Is this saying "No" to an officer?

It'll ultimately depend on the wording of the specific Florida law and the accompanying court precedent, but likely encompasses a wide variety of attempts to prevent or hinder being arrested that don't necessarily involve violence towards the officer or outright fleeing, such as going limp, pulling away from the officer's grip, tightening up muscles to resist being placed in position to be handcuffed, tucking their hands under to prevent them from being handcuffed, walking away and refusing to stop, grabbing onto something to prevent your hands from being cuffed, etc.