Police hunt chimp over mobile theft

To have two burglaries reported in under an hour in a single street in Hackney is pretty unremarkable.

But one of the victims saw the suspect and the description he gave police was nothing if not distinctive.

The long, hairy arm Mustapha Riat saw disappearing with his mobile phone belonged to a chimpanzee.

"I saw this hairy black chimpanzee coming through the window," said the 43-yearold teacher. "I couldn't believe it.

"I was frightened of being bitten. I had a lamp and a clock on the table but it only wanted the phone. It must have been trained to go for it.

"I asked people if they had seen a chimp who burgled me and obviously they were pretty staggered." Police are taking the burglary seriously and are linking it with a second crime 20 doors away at a flat belonging to Gina Davidson, 23, although nobody saw the monkey.

She said: "The DVD player was moved and a watch was missing.

"Police dusted my flat for fingerprints but how will that help catch a chimp?"

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "We have no reason to disbelieve the victim who reported the monkey.

"We are keeping an open mind."

It is not clear what species of primate was seen leaving the house but police believe the animal was a chimpanzee, said the spokesman.

A traditional steam fair was being held at the weekend at nearby Victoria Park.

But a police spokesman said: "We have checked with the fair and they haven't got any monkeys."

Another police source said: "It does appear that only small items were stolen, such as a mobile phone, things that a monkey could easily carry. We have no reason to disbelieve what we have been told, though only one person in the two households said they saw a monkey."

Parts of a stereo system were also taken from one house.

Police said they had no evidence that this was a new tactic being employed by thieves.

The Yard said a senior detective was being brought in to oversee the inquiry .

The Scotland Yard spokesman added: "We have our greatest minds on this one."

Crime stats: Hackney