Alleged monkey swiper Davion Irvin said he’d steal more animals if he were released from jail in Dallas, Texas, CBS News reported Tuesday.
Irivin, 24, reportedly told police that he loved animals and would continue to steal them if he were released from his $25,000 bond. Dallas police charged Irvin with six counts of animal cruelty and two counts of burglary, CBS news reported.
Irvin told police he jumped a fence to get onto zoo grounds Jan. 29, cut the metal mesh sheet into the enclosure, and stole the two emperor tamarin monkeys, Bella and Finn, from their enclosure after dark, according to the affidavit obtained by Dallas Morning News.
Accused Dallas Zoo thief vows to steal more animals if sprung from jail: court docs https://t.co/ephDw4vAb5 pic.twitter.com/v10KN3d5yk
— New York Post (@nypost) February 8, 2023
Prior to the nabbing, Irvin asked zoo workers a slew of questions, such as “how do you get the animals in cages at night?” Dallas Morning News noted. He also inquired zoo workers about the status of a recently recaptured snow leopard named Nova, whose enclosure’s mesh was sliced open in a similar way, and the safe housing and handling of the newly born Gibbon monkey. Irvin made his escape with the monkeys on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), according to a separate report.
Police arrested Irvin Feb. 2 after he brought the stolen monkeys to an abandoned house in Lancaster, Texas, Jan 31. Authorities caught the animal thief as he tried to leave the Dallas World Aquarium on the DART after asking an employee questions about one of the aquarium’s animals.