A pet monkey called Coco Chanel has allegedly been stolen from a parking lot in Maplewood, Minnesota.
The capuchin monkey disappeared when a family member of the owner left the pet in their car while grocery shopping on Tuesday night.
When the family member returned to the car, the monkey and her pink carrier had vanished.
“Investigators are canvassing the area for witnesses and surveillance footage,” Maplewood Public Safety said in a statement as police launched an investigation into the disappearance.
Maplewood Public Safety said the monkey disappeared at around 8.30pm and they’re asking anyone who was there to reach out with any information they may have.
It’s legal to have Capuchin monkeys as pets in several states, including Wisconsin where owner Zaurice Steward resides. But in Minnesota, owning a monkey is illegal.
Ms Steward told Fox9 that her pet has special food requirements and that she’s worried for her safety, adding that those who supposedly stole the monkey may not know how to take care of her.
“I kind of felt like I failed as a parent, even though this didn’t happen under my care,” she said. “I know she’s terrified. I’m worried for her safety.”
Capuchins are small monkeys that can be found in Central and South America. They are smart and easy to train, which is why they’re often featured in films and TV.
Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers in Boston, Massachusetts train capuchin monkeys to help disabled people, Newsweek noted.
While it’s unclear how many capuchin monkeys are owned as pets in the US right now, National Geographic estimated in 2013 that there were about 15,000 owned as pets at that time.
Prices can vary drastically, but some capuchin monkeys can cost more than $12,000.
Ms Steward said she thinks the monkey was stolen to get a financial reward for its return and that she would be willing to pay.
“Just contact me,” she told Fox9. “I’m willing to pay for my baby. I just want her back home.”
She added to CBS Minnesota that she would pay as much as $3,000 to get Coco back.
Joe Steiner at the Maplewood Police Department told CBS Minnesota that “theft from auto isn’t strange, but theft of a capuchin monkey from a motor vehicle is strange”.
