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[Carrie McLaren <stay.free AT verizon.net>]

Baltimore couple arrested in theft of family's monkey
By PAMELA WOOD, Staff Writer
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2005/02_05-41/TOP

 A Baltimore couple was arrested yesterday for the monkey-nabbing of 
a Glen Burnie family's new pet.

 Kenneth Michael King, 25, and Wendy Michelle Ward, 30, are accused 
of stealing Janey, an 8-month-old Capuchin monkey, from its owners' 
home Wednesday. They were charged last night with first-degree 
burglary, fourth-degree burglary and theft of more than $500.

"She's feeling better," said Brian Howard. "She was dirty and smelly. 
She's eaten a lot since she got home. She ate so much formula, she 
threw up."

He spent $7,000 on the monkey as a Christmas gift for his wife, 
Michelle. Janey joined a household of three children, two dogs, a 
cat, a tortoise and another monkey.

But on Wednesday, the Howards found a cinder block had been thrown 
through their front door and Janey had been taken from its cage.

Sgt. Shawn Urbas, a county police spokesman, said police were able to 
crack the case thanks in part to the Howards' sharp thinking.

The Howards told police they remembered that Mr. King and Ms. Ward 
seemed quite interested in Janey when the couple bought a bird from 
the Howards about a month ago. They kept asking questions about Janey 
and where one could purchase such a monkey.

Then police got an anonymous tip that also led detectives to the 
couple. Police were able to get a search warrant, arrived at the home 
yesterday afternoon and found Janey right away. They turned her over 
to Mr. Howard.

He hugged, fed and diapered her and put her into a cage.

"She was holding onto her teddy bear for dear life," Mr. Howard said.

Hours later, Janey was almost back to her old self, frolicking around 
the Howards' kitchen, snacking on uncooked pasta and mugging for TV 
cameras.

Anne Arundel County law prohibits certain exotic animals, including 
Capuchin monkeys, Sgt. Urbas said. But police are checking into state 
and federal laws to see if there is any exception that will allow 
Janey and Nikki, the other monkey, to stay in Glen Burnie.

"We don't want to be the bad guys," Sgt. Urbas said.