During a press conference on Friday afternoon, police say a man was arrested in San Rafael accused of breaking into Maki's habitat and taking him.
Here he is - the man who allegedly broke into the San Francisco Zoo and stole Maki, the ring-tailed lemur this week. pic.twitter.com/epRGb5BWgF
— Kate Larsen (@KateABC7) October 16, 2020
It was just like any other day, five-year-old James Trinh was leaving school with his mom when everything changed.
James spotted a wild animal in the parking lot and called over his friends, who were astonished to see a lemur.
James, Mavis, Brandon, Adriel, Samuel, and Sofie, all TK and kindergarten students at Hope Lutheran Day School in Daly City, explained what happened next.
This is IT folks!
— Kate Larsen (@KateABC7) October 16, 2020
The moment young James spotted Maki, the missing San Francisco Zoo lemur, in the parking lot of his Daly City school.
Watching James and his Mom freak out w/excitement and call over the other families is the BEST!
I am LIVING for this story. Thank you Maki!! pic.twitter.com/1yiVaKyxxv
"Then the lemur jumped over the gate and he was there," said one of the kindergarteners.
"And then they called police and animal control," explained another.
Cell phone video taken Thursday evening, shows Maki wandering around the yard. Eventually, the endangered primate found comfort in a playhouse.
Animal control and Daly City police showed up, fortunately, they had snacks for Maki, who at 21, is very old in lemur years, and requires constant feedings.
It all started at the San Francisco Zoo, where Maki was born and raised.
RELATED: SF Zoo officials announce reward in locating missing lemur; police investigating possible break-in
On Wednesday morning, Maki was discovered missing from the Lipman Family Lemur Forest. Police then opened an investigation when they found the enclosure had been tampered with.
36 hours later, San Rafael Police arrested 30-year-old Cory McGilloway in Marin County, on suspicion of shoplifting and stealing a getaway truck. They later found photos of Maki on his cell phone.
"It's kind of unbelievable. I can't understand myself," San Francisco Police Lt. Scott Ryan.
What a relief to have Maki safe at home! We wanted to share this vid of Maki just after his rescue last night. We’re so grateful for the swift work by @SFPD to arrest his abductor, which they announced today. pic.twitter.com/ixpi4gQaiH
— San Francisco Zoo (@sfzoo) October 17, 2020
San Francisco Zoo Director Tanya Peterson announced they are giving Hope Lutheran the $2,100 reward and the Trinh Family a lifetime zoo membership.
"I want to thank the community for coming together as quickly as they did, they literally saved a life," said Peterson.
Hope Lutheran Day School Director Cynthia Huang said Maki was just the lesson they all needed.
"It really was a reminder that we still can experience happy moments during the pandemic and also let the children see there is hope, there is light at the end of the tunnel," said Huang.
