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[Carrie McLaren <carrie AT stayfreemagazine.org>]

Parking lot gorilla found by local boy
02/10/04
Stephanie Miller
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=909&NewsID=525029&CategoryID=13280&on=0
A gorilla taken from the Wal-Mart parking lot on Jan. 25 was found in 
a park by an 11-year-old boy on Feb. 5.

According to Detective Sgt. Stacey Sapp of the Dublin Police 
Department, Wes Creamer found the inflatable advertising device in 
Springdale Park.

"I was just riding my bike along Springdale Park," said Creamer after 
being rewarded $100 by the gorilla's owner for helping to rescue the 
gigantic animal. "I saw something black, then I saw the teeth and I 
knew it was the gorilla."

Creamer said he rode his bicycle home and told his dad, Wayne Leach, 
he had found the gorilla that he had read about in the newspaper.

"My daddy's a firefighter," said Leach. "He told me the gorilla from 
the mall was missing. I rode home and told him, "I've got some bad 
news and some good news.'"

Creamer explained he wasn't suppose to ride his bicycle to Springdale 
Park and he knew telling his father he had would get him in trouble, 
but he knew he had to tell him anyway.

"He said, 'go on to your room,'" said Creamer, who said he then told 
his dad to wait and hear the good news first. Creamer said when he 
told his dad he had found the gorilla, he dad was a little bit 
surprised.

"I told him if he didn't believe me to go with me and I'd show him," 
said Creamer. "Then he got in his truck and when he saw it he said it 
was real good and he was proud of me and so did my mom."

Creamer said his dad forgot all about being mad at him for breaking his rules.

Leach called the Dublin Police Department and they came to get the 
gorilla. Sapp said on the day the owner came to pick up the monstrous 
item it was blown up in the parking lot of the police department to 
check for damage and there appeared to be none.

Sapp said the gorilla appeared to have been dumped out of a vehicle 
and must have been dropped off just minutes before Creamer rode up on 
it.

The gorilla is owned by Craig and Kimberlee Pennington of Creative 
Advertising Promotions and Services of Hahira. Craig Pennington drove 
to Dublin Monday to present Creamer an award for finding the gorilla.

"He kept saying, 'Have I got to go back to school,'" said Sapp of 
Creamer once he got his reward. He said Creamer wanted to go on to 
Wal-Mart for a shopping spree.

"I got a card and on the front it said, 'God bless you and thank 
you,'" said Creamer. He said his dad took him back to school, 
planning their shopping trip for after work and school Monday night.