Exotic Monkey Back Home After Being Stolen From St. Cloud Home
Posted: 7:35 am EDT April 17, 2008Updated: 1:18 pm EDT April 18, 2008
ST. CLOUD, Fla. -- One of two stolen exotic monkeys was back with its owner Thursday afternoon. Two marmoset monkeys were taken from a home in St. Cloud last weekend.
SLIDESHOW: Images Of Exotic Monkey Returned To Owner
RAW VIDEO: Exotic Monkey Jumps Onto WFTV Cameraman
VIDEO REPORT: Man Returns Stolen Monkey He Bought To Original Owner
ANIMAL NEWS: More Stories Of Animals In The News
A Channel 9 viewer saw the story aired about the monkeys Wednesday night and realized the monkey he had just bought had been stolen, so he returned it.St. Cloud police said the exotic monkey was sold for $250 by someone near the marina at East Lake Toho. When the person who bought it realized the monkey had been stolen, he got in his car and went looking for its owner.Lola, the marmoset monkey, is back where she belongs. She'd been missing for several days after someone stole her and another monkey named Tequila from their St. Cloud home last weekend."If I could have put an amber alert on two monkeys, I would have. That's how much a part of the family they are," said owner John Wilson.Wilson and his girlfriend bought the exotic animals in south Florida for $2,600 each. When they realized the monkeys were missing, they feared never seeing them again. Those feelings changed at around 1:00am Thursday when a man knocked on their door."You don't find too many people like that who would pay for something off the street and be honest enough to say, 'Here's your monkey,'" Wilson said.The St Cloud Police Department would like to hear from anyone who knows where the other missing monkey might be. Detectives also want to find the person who stole them from Wilson's back yard.The monkeys' diet is so unique that Wilson said every day that passes decreases the odds of finding his other monkey alive."Just bring him home. Set him in a box in the front porch. I don't even need to know who you are," Wilson said.If police catch the person who stole the monkeys, he will be charged with occupied burglary and grand theft, both felonies.
SLIDESHOW: Images Of Exotic Monkey Returned To OwnerRAW VIDEO: Exotic Monkey Jumps Onto WFTV CameramanVIDEO REPORT: Man Returns Stolen Monkey He Bought To Original OwnerANIMAL NEWS: More Stories Of Animals In The NewsA Channel 9 viewer saw the story aired about the monkeys Wednesday night and realized the monkey he had just bought had been stolen, so he returned it.St. Cloud police said the exotic monkey was sold for $250 by someone near the marina at East Lake Toho. When the person who bought it realized the monkey had been stolen, he got in his car and went looking for its owner.Lola, the marmoset monkey, is back where she belongs. She'd been missing for several days after someone stole her and another monkey named Tequila from their St. Cloud home last weekend."If I could have put an amber alert on two monkeys, I would have. That's how much a part of the family they are," said owner John Wilson.Wilson and his girlfriend bought the exotic animals in south Florida for $2,600 each. When they realized the monkeys were missing, they feared never seeing them again. Those feelings changed at around 1:00am Thursday when a man knocked on their door."You don't find too many people like that who would pay for something off the street and be honest enough to say, 'Here's your monkey,'" Wilson said.The St Cloud Police Department would like to hear from anyone who knows where the other missing monkey might be. Detectives also want to find the person who stole them from Wilson's back yard.The monkeys' diet is so unique that Wilson said every day that passes decreases the odds of finding his other monkey alive."Just bring him home. Set him in a box in the front porch. I don't even need to know who you are," Wilson said.If police catch the person who stole the monkeys, he will be charged with occupied burglary and grand theft, both felonies.
Previous Stories:
- April 4, 2008: Monkey Caught After Escaping From Orlando Apartment Complex
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