Woman Accused Of Stealing $7,000 Monkey From South Florida Pet Shop

A woman was taken into custody after a South Florida pet store accused her of recently stealing a baby monkey, according to WPLG. The incident reportedly happened Friday afternoon (July 7) at Robert's Pet Shop in Homestead. Store employees came over to feed two 5-week-old marmoset monkeys when they noticed one of them was missing.

Surveillance cameras caught 53-year-old Milena Wood allegedly placing a 5-week-old marmoset monkey inside a bag before quickly walking out of the business.

“Once we review the surveillance video camera, we see her coming over in, grabbing, tucking the monkey, and just walking straight out the front door with it,” store manager Lazaro Sardinas told reporters. He said he was shocked by her actions considering she's been a customer for about 15 years.

According to police, Wood called Sardinas over the weekend to try and negotiate a deal to return the monkey. Investigators traced the number back to the woman and arrested her on Monday (July 10).

On top of stealing the monkey, authorities also accused Wood of stealing nearly $3,000 worth of coral from two different aquariums on June 26.

Wood was charged with three counts of grand theft and is being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, WPLG reports.