‘There’s a lemur!’ 5-year-old helps crack theft
SAN FRANCISCO — Police said Friday they arrested a man suspected of stealing a ring-tailed lemur fromthe San Francisco Zoo, where officials rewarded a 5-year-old boy who helped recapture the endangered primate with a lifetime membership.
The theft of Maki, an arthritic 21-year-old lemur, made the news last week when zoo officials reported the animal missing and found evidence of forced entry at his enclosure.
James Trinh, 5, was unaware of the headlines when leaving his preschool Thursday in Daly City, about 5 miles from the zoo, and exclaimed, “There’s a lemur! There’s a lemur!” Cynthia Huang, director of the Hope Lutheran Day School, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Maki scurried from the parking lot into the school’s playground and took refuge in a miniature play house, as the school called policewho quickly alerted animal control and zoo officials. The children, parents and teachers watched as caretakers arrived and coaxed the lemur into a transport cage, Huang said.
Also Thursday, police took 30-year-old Cory McGilloway into custody, San Francisco police Lt. Scott Ryan told reporters Friday. McGilloway, whom investigators had identified as a suspect in the abduction, was arrested Thursday evening by San Rafael police on unrelated charges.
San Francisco Zoo director Tanya Peterson said Maki was “an aging wild animal who needed special care” for ailments.
Authorities had offered a $2,100 reward for locating Maki, which the zoo will be giving to the church.
“I understand there is a young boy there who witnessed this and also called in the tip, and we are giving his family a free membership to the zoo,” said Peterson, who thanked the boy and everyone who helped. “They literally saved a life.”