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The unusual monkey sighting saga in St. Louis took another turn this week, as police said there is no evidence any officer ever spotted the animals, pushing back on earlier statements that suggested otherwise.
The confusion stems from early January reports of vervet monkeys allegedly roaming near O’Fallon Park, which prompted the St. Louis Department of Health to launch a search and urge residents not to approach the animals. At the time, health officials said at least one sighting involved a police officer.
But according to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, that claim does not hold up. SLMPD spokesperson Mitch McCoy said the department reviewed its records, polled officers in the area and found no one who reported seeing a monkey. McCoy said police first became aware of the alleged officer sighting during a Jan. 13 health department news conference and immediately tried to track it down.
That review traced the situation back to a Jan. 8 911 call from a mail carrier, who said a co-worker claimed to have seen a monkey. Police attempted to follow up but never confirmed the report. McCoy said the call may have been misinterpreted as an officer sighting during early interagency communications.
The St. Louis Department of Health, which had coordinated search efforts with animal control and experts from the St. Louis Zoo, ultimately called off its search after no animals were found. Officials shifted their focus to enforcing city ordinances that prohibit keeping non-human primates as pets.
Health leaders also acknowledged that AI-generated images and unverified social media posts complicated the investigation and fueled confusion about whether monkeys were still loose.
As of now, no monkeys have been located, and city officials say there is no confirmed evidence that any police officer ever saw one. Residents with firsthand information are still encouraged to report it through the city’s Citizens Service Bureau so it can be properly investigated.