Fla. deputies drop search for loose monkey

LAND O' LAKES, Fla., April 5 (UPI) -- Authorities in Florida said they spent 4 hours searching for a monkey that escaped from its owner's car and headed for some nearby woods.

The Pasco County Sheriff's Office said the monkey's owner told a deputy his monkey fled from his car at the Hess gas station near State Road 52 and U.S. 41 in Land O' Lakes Thursday and ran toward the woods, the Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, reported Thursday.

Deputies said they did not know the exact species of the monkey, which was believed to still be in the woods when police gave up the search.