SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. — A thief snatched two baby marmoset monkeys from an exotic pet store, police said.
Whoever took the monkeys early Thursday had to walk past parrots, pythons, chinchillas and other animals to reach the marmosets' cages. The thief also stole cash from the store, authorities said.
"I'm shocked, and I'm very worried about their safety and care," said Gilbert Perez, owner of the Exotic Pet Center in Sevierville. "These guys need their milk."
One of the monkeys, a common marmoset, has a retail price of about $2,800. The other, a rarer Geoffrey's marmoset, could bring up to $4,500.
The two monkeys are both females born in captivity. One was about seven weeks old, the other between eight and 10 weeks, Perez said.
