WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Newly released documents reveal that a 16-year-old boy broke into the Palm Beach Zoo in the middle of the night earlier this year and stole a Goeldi's monkey named Kali, who's valued at $10,000, according to police.
The teen, who was not identified in a police report, "wanted a pet monkey," according to one of his friends who was interviewed by detectives.
Police said the 16-year-old broke into the zoo between 1:15 a.m. and 2 a.m. on the morning of Feb. 11. He climbed over a barbed wire fence, then tore through a thin mesh fabric to get into the monkey's enclosure.
Detectives said they eventually made contact with the teen, who turned over the monkey shortly before midnight on Feb. 13.
"The Goeldis Monkey was being kept in a small metal caged trap," according to a police report.
Zoo officials said Kali was in good health, but dehydrated, following her return.
The 12-year-old monkey, which weighs about 1 pound, suffers from inflammation. Kali requires a specialized diet and anti-inflammatory medicine.
The teen, who was under investigation for burglary and grand theft, was on probation at the time of the crime, according to a police report.
Police turned the case over to the State Attorney's Office, which eventually declined to file charges against the underage teen.