April 8 (UPI) -- Police in Cincinnati said they are probing multiple reports of five loose monkeys on the west side of the city, but have not yet confirmed their presence.
Residents said they spotted five monkeys swinging from trees in St. Joseph's Cemetery in the East Prince Hill area Wednesday night, and one witness captured video that appears to show animals in the trees, but police said the footage is not clear enough to confirm that the animals were monkeys.
Cincinnati police responded to the cemetery Wednesday night, but did not encounter any monkeys, officials said.
The Cincinnati Zoo said all of its monkeys are accounted for, but the facility would assist police in searching for the primates if their presence in the city is confirmed.
"There's not much we can do until we have a confirmed sighting by Cincinnati police," David Orban, the zoo's director for animal science and strategy, told WXIX-TV.
Police said that if there monkeys are loose, they likely escaped from a private collection, but no one has contacted police to report their exotic primates missing.
Police officials said anyone who spots monkeys in Cincinnati should keep a safe distance from the animals and contact the department.
