According to court documents, a Texas man arrested on suspicion of stealing two emperor tamarin monkeys from the Dallas Zoo expressed his love for animals and threatened to commit further thefts if released.
According to The Associated Press, the monkeys’ disappearance at the zoo coincided with other suspicious activities at the facility. The suspect, identified as Davion Irvin, 24, was apprehended on Thursday after a tip from the public.
According to arrest warrant affidavits, Irvin told police that he stole the monkeys on January 29 after cutting a metal mesh enclosure. He also claimed to have entered the zoo by scaling a fence and waiting until it was dark to commit the alleged crime. The suspect claimed that after obtaining the monkeys, he went to a vacant home where he kept other animals. Irvin has since been charged with animal cruelty on six counts and burglary on two counts.
After receiving the tip, police located the monkeys, named Bella and Finn, at a home on January 31. Officers who entered the home discovered several cats and pigeons, as well as a dead feeder fish and fish food taken from a staff-only section of the zoo. According to affidavits, the food vanished in January, but no theft report was filed.
Irvin is also linked to another incident in which a leopard at the zoo escaped her enclosure on January 13. The leopard was reported missing, and the zoo was forced to close and begin a search after a cut in her enclosure was discovered, according to The Associated Press. She was later discovered not far from her natural habitat. Irvin has since been charged with burglary in connection with that incident.
According to the affidavit, the suspect told investigators that his intention was to take the leopard away. However, he claimed he was able to pet her before she climbed to the top of her enclosure, according to the affidavit.
According to police, another incident occurred in which a langur monkey enclosure was cut. They’ve also connected Irvin to it. However, Irvin was not charged in connection with that incident. The langur monkeys did not escape either. In January, an endangered vulture died mysteriously at the zoo. Irvin, on the other hand, has not been linked to its death.
According to the affidavit, a man’s activities at the zoo before the emperor tamarin monkeys went missing raised eyebrows. The man is said to have inquired about relocating and caring for the monkeys. He also inquired about the leopard mentioned earlier. The man was also seen entering staff buildings not far from the monkey enclosure.
After the monkeys went missing, police released a photo of a person of interest. A tip eventually led police to the suspect. According to the Associated Press, the person who provided the tip told police that multiple church members recognized the suspect as someone who frequently visited an unoccupied home owned by the church.
Irvin was arrested near the Dallas World Aquarium after visiting the facility to inquire about the animals. A worker who saw him in the news recognized him. Irvin was still being held as of Tuesday. His bond has been set at $25,000.