Elite gendarmerie officers have rescued critically endangered monkeys after they were stolen from a French zoo.
Kidnappers threatened to sell the eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins on the black market if Exotic Park in Lescar, south-western France, did not pay the ransom.
They were snatched last week in a night-time raid despite facing the high risk of extinction. The monkeys are instantly recognisable from their white crests.
However, the stolen animals were rescued by GIGN, the elite French gendarmerie unit which specialises in counter-terror, hostage rescue and surveillance operations.
The local prosecutor’s office said: ‘Monitoring of social media revealed that the primates were already being offered for sale, which confirmed the need to act very quickly, whilst the owner had received a ransom demand in exchange for their return.’
French authorities identified the suspects using CCTV footage from the zoo and digital geolocation data, prosecutors added.
According to local reports, two men were arrested and remain in custody. A woman is also being investigated for handling stolen goods but has been released. All three suspects deny involvement.
When police searched the suspects’ homes they discovered ’11 primates, in stable health, €1,500 [£1,300] in cash, as well as five illegally held hunting rifles’.
A cotton-top tamarin, one of the species targeted in the theft at Lescar Zoo
Kidnappers threatened to sell the eight marmosets and five cotton-top tamarins. Pictured: A marmoset monkey eats at a zoo (File image)
However, two of the monkeys have not been recovered and remain at large.
Another was able to escape during the alleged kidnapping attempt and was found taking refuge in the zoo’s wallaby enclosure. Staff recovered the animal.
Guillaume Darzacq, the zoo’s director, said the alleged kidnappers forced entry shortly before 7.30pm last Monday.
He told French outlet TF1 that the stolen monkeys represented ‘entire families, including young ones’ – amounting to ‘a small fortune on the black market’.
Mr Darzacq added that some of the monkeys had already been rescued from illegal owners who had mistreated them once before, while others were born at the zoo.
In a statement on Friday night, Exotic Park said: ‘Almost all of the monkeys have been recovered by the gendarmerie (we are doing everything possible to ensure the remaining ones are returned very, very soon).
‘NO SECURITY AT THE PARK? On the contrary, there is! In fact, it was thanks to this system that the situation could be resolved so quickly, leading us straight to those who had taken them.
‘The thieves used a chisel to break through doors and a crowbar to smash through anti-intrusion windows.
The monkeys were snatched in a night-time raid last week
‘However, the park is equipped with alarms, an extensive video surveillance network, and staff present on-site throughout the night…
‘THANK YOU to the investigators for their incredible work and dedication, THANK YOU to our zookeepers for their courage and love for the animals, and above all, THANK YOU to all of you for sharing our posts and for your support.
‘Every year, zoos—both in France and around the world—fall victim to thefts, and very often, the animals are never found… Let’s keep up the fight for those who are still missing.’
The zoo also denied rumours online that the incident had been staged for publicity or that employees were in on it.
Exotic Park said: ‘We are hearing some truly appalling accusations. Reading such things is scandalous.
‘Absolutely no member of staff is under suspicion. As a reminder, false accusation is a very serious offence punishable by law, and being accused when you are the victim is extremely difficult to cope with.
‘Every year, zoos fall victim to thefts, both in France and around the world. Very often, the animals are never found.’
The zoo remains open.
