Winter Clothed Monkey Shocks Shoppers In Toronto- HUH?

Heard the one about the monkey dressed in a jacket at IKEA? No? A customer at the Toronto branch of the Swedish furniture chain explains all. Shoppers at the IKEA store in Toronto were shocked to spot a monkey dressed in a coat roaming the car park on Sunday.

Toronto police say the seven-month-old monkey, named Darwin, escaped from its owner and managed to find his way outside.

IKEA customer and Toronto resident Bronwyn Page was among the shoppers who caught a glimpse of the debonair creature.

"There was a group of people around and a little thing on the ground... at first I didn't know what kind of animal it was or what it was and I was like 'oh my gosh, that's a monkey,'" said Ms Page.

She said she first thought the monkey was fake, but quickly learned otherwise as the animal began darting around the crowd and screaming.

Watch the video after the cut....


She was asked to confirm her bank details and when she refused, the caller told her to phone the bank herself and confirm that the call was genuine.

But the original caller did not hang up, meaning that when the woman dialled for the bank she was still connected to the scam call, Dumfries and Galloway Police said.

"The phone was answered by someone who said 'Royal Bank of Scotland', thus indicating to the woman that she had got through to her bank," a police spokesman said.

"It now transpires that nearly £20,000 has been taken from her account by fraudulent means. It seems that the original caller to the woman did not hang up the phone after the call and so was able to pretend to be from the bank when the woman made the call to the bank."

The public are being urged to be aware of the scam and asked anyone with any information on the theft to call them on 08456 005 701 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Shopper Bronwyn Page told Toronto CTVNews: "We saw a crowd of people and a little animal and I was like 'oh my gosh it's a monkey."


"It started darting all over the place. It was scared.

"It was very bizarre to see a real live monkey there. It was really small and just funny dressed in the coat."

Local animal catchers caught the monkey inside the store.

The monkey's owners, who had been shopping in Ikea, came forward after their beloved primate was spotted by fellow shoppers.

Unfotunately, they now face $240 fine for having an illegal pet.


The rhesus macaque species is not endangered but it is illegal to keep the animal in Ontario.


It is with animal services and is in good health and recovering from the distress of the incident.

The Ikea monkey has triggered a wave of jokes across social media, with its own satirical Twitter handles including @Ikeamonkey, @Ikea_monkey and the hashtag #Ikeamonkey trending overnight.

An Ikea Monkey Facebook page has also emerged.

Internet memes also began circulating, with images of the photo-shopped monkey.



Courtesy: news.com.au