Two Men Stole Meerkat From Kansas City Zoo

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Jackson County prosecutor has charged two men in connection with the theft of a meerkat from the Kansas City Zoo.

Jacob M. Bradley and Justin R. Santhuff have been charged with felony stealing. The recommended bond is $5,000.

According to court documents, on Nov. 4 members of the zoo staff reported that a meerkat was missing. On Nov. 12, a Petco employee in Overland Park told police that a white teen wearing a hooded sweatshirt dropped the meerkat off next to the front door in a glass aquarium. Police contacted the zoo, which reported that it was missing a meerkat.

Bradley's girlfriend, Morgan Allen, told police that she was with Bradley and Santhuff when they took a baby stroller to the zoo, according to the court document. The woman said she walked away from the men when she learned that they were going to take the meerkat. She said she did not see which one went into the exhibit to get the meerkat, but she knew they had the animal when they left the zoo and took it to Bradley's house.

Earlier, a tipster had called police and told them that Bradley and Santhuff had taken a stroller, along with a makeshift cage and some blankets to the zoo and caught a meerkat and took it to Bradley's house, court documents said.

On Wednesday, Santhuff and Bradley were arrested on unrelated charges. During questioning, Santhuff admitted to jumping in the Meercat display, stealing the animal and leaving the zoo, court documents said. Santhuff said Bradley pushed the stroller out of the zoo and kept the meerkat at his house, according to court documents.