A MONKEY BANDIT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 November 1939, Page 9

A MONKEY BANDIT

DARING THEFT OF NECKLACE. Crowds who were watching the tiny monkeys at Taronga Park Zoo “kindergarten” the other day witnessed the daring theft of a pearl necklace, writes an Australian correspondent. The “bandit” was a little monkey, and his victim a visitor from Melbourne. The visitor was laughing at the antics of a group of monkeys when one of them suddenly leapt on to her shoulders, snatched off her pearl necklace, breaking the clasp, and departed with his prize to the top of a nearby tree, chattering with delight. The desperado was followed by others of the gang, and there was a free fight over the division of the spoils while the visitor watched helplessly in an agony of apprehension for her pearls. Threats and entreaties were of no avail. Twigs and pebbles, hurled in the hope of making the thief drop the necklace, were laughed to scorn, and for three hours, until a keeper was able to corner him. the little monkey remained in proud possession of his trophy. The pearls were finally restored io their owner. Although the clasp was broken, none of the pearls was lost, as the string, fortunately, had not snapped.