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Investigators Say Missing Pet Monkey Was Stolen In North St. Paul

MAPLEWOOD, Minn. (WCCO) -- Investigators in the Twin Cities say that a pet monkey that disappeared earlier this week was actually stolen.

The Maplewood Police Department says it discovered that the capuchin monkey that went missing on Monday night was stolen around 8 p.m. on the 2200 block of 7th Avenue East in North St. Paul.

The investigation has been turned over to the North St. Paul Police Department. North St. Paul is a suburb northeast of the capital city.

Stolen Monkey
(credit: CBS)

Anyone with information on the missing monkey, named Coco Chanel, is asked to call North St. Paul police at 651-767-0640. Tips can also be submitted online.

The monkey's owner, Zaurice Steward, is offering a cash reward for information that leads to her primate pet. She initially thought her 2-year-old monkey went missing while with a relative in Maplewood, which is near North St. Paul.

"I'm scared that the wrong person has Coco," Steward told WCCO. "I just want to make sure she's OK."

While it's not legal to keep capuchin monkeys as pets in Minnesota, Steward says Coco normally stays with family in Wisconsin, where such pets are allowed.

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