Police arrest suspect for alleged theft of San Francisco Zoo lemur
San Francisco police Friday say they made an arrest in the alleged theft of Maki, the ring-tailed lemur, who was taken from the San Francisco Zoo.
Maki was found on Thursday at the Lutheran Hope Church Day School in Daly City after parents and kids spotted the lemur in the area. Daly City police responded to the church along with zoo staff and Animal Care and Control where they positively identified Maki.
Authorities said they have arrested 30 year-old Cory McGilloway for the alleged theft of the lemur. Officers from the San Rafael Police Department Thursday arrested McGilloway for an unrelated crime and he is being held at the Marin County jail.
McGilloway will be transported back to The City’s county jail upon release and will be booked on burglary, grand theft of an animal, looting and vandalism, police said Friday in a statement.
At a press conference at the zoo Friday afternoon, zoo officials were thankful for the parents and children who spotted Maki and donated a $2,100 reward to the church. The zoo had put the reward up on Twitter for anyone with information leading to the location of Maki.
In addition, the zoo has provided a family with a zoo membership who had first spotted Maki at the church’s parking lot and immediately called police.
Executive Director and President of the San Francisco Zoo Tanya Peterson said Maki was still a bit agitated, dehydrated and hungry upon his return back to the zoo. She said it was important to find Maki because he needed special care and is taking a special medication for arthritis.
Zoo vets and staff will continue to monitor Maki, said Petersen.
San Francisco police first reported about the missing lemur on Wednesday. Officers arrived at the zoo at approximately 9:40 a.m. and found forced entry to Maki’s enclosure.
Authorities said the investigation is still ongoing and did not provide further details as to motive or how the suspect and Maki became separated.
