US: Man arrested after stealing 2 tamarin monkeys from Dallas Zoo
Saturday, 4 February 2023 (02:29 IST)
Police arrested a 24-year-old man after two monkeys from the Dallas Zoo were taken. The two monkeys, Bella and Finn, went missing on Monday after a cut was found in their caging.
Davion Irvin was charged with six counts of animal cruelty following his arrest after he got off local transportation. He had been spotted and reported at the Dallas Aquarium prior to his arrest.
Earlier in the week, police had publicized an image taken from surveillance footage showing the suspect in a hoodie at the zoo.
Local jail records, however, show he faces five counts of animal cruelty. It was not immediately clear why there was a discrepancy between police and jail records.
What is Irvin accused of?
Police were able to act on a tip and locate the two monkeys the a day after they were taking. The primates were found in a vacant home south of the zoo in Lancaster, Texas.
The New York Times reports Bella and Finn are tamarin monkeys and note that Irvin is the same man who authorities say was caught on surveillance footage with a bag of Doritos walking through the zoo where the monkeys disappeared.
Harrison Edell, the zoo's executive vice president for animal care and conservation, told the paper, "It's been one gut punch after another."
Several strange events have occurred at the zoo in the past few weeks, including slits in similar enclosures, the escape of a small leopard and the unusual death of an endangered vulture in recent months.
Security was increased afterwards and police installed two camera towers.
Police are investigating to see if the latest incident is connected.
