Stolen Lemur Case Cracked, Conviction For Endangered Animal Theft

NEWPORT BEACH, CA — Isaac, the ring-tailed lemur, has some stories to tell. The oldest living lemur in captivity, 33, was stolen last summer and left in a closed container outside of a Newport Beach hotel. Now, his thief is serving time for taking the endangered creature. The case of the stolen lemur is no laughing matter, the FBI says.

On a July morning in 2018, Santa Ana zoo employees were opening up the grounds. Staff discovered a person with bolt cutters released several Capuchin monkeys and lemurs. Many were found roaming the grounds freely.

Isaac, 32 at the time, was gone.

Lemurs typically only live to be 25, according to the Santa Ana Zoo. When their senior lemur was missing, it filled the staff with alarm and concern, according to the zoo.

Thankfully, Isaac was discovered outside of Newport Beach's Mariott on Bayview Circle, according to authorities.

The captor left the endangered animal inside a vent-less box on a hot day, which could have been a death sentence, officials said, along with a note to return the critter to The Santa Ana Zoo.

The perpetrator of the zoo break-in remained a mystery for almost five months while officials from Santa Ana, Newport Beach and the FBI worked to crack the case.

In December, Aquinas Kasbar, 19 of Newport Beach, was caught in the act of burglarizing a Newport Beach mansion. He was later charged with 29 burglaries. Known for antics in the area, including riding an air mattress on the hectic surf at The Wedge, the teen admitted both to breaking into unoccupied homes in some of the area's wealthiest neighborhoods. While he was in custody, he also admitted breaking into the zoo to steal an exotic pet, the FBI reported.

He even had a video to commemorate the event, Santa Ana Detective Farshid Hashempour, a member of the FBI task force, said in a release.

According to Kasbar's statement, he broke into the zoo intending to bring home a monkey. None of the monkeys would go with him, Hashempour said. Instead, he took Isaac.

While this may seem like a prank to some, stealing a ring-tailed lemur, classified as an endangered animal, is a federal crime, the FBI reported.

"The FBI came in with overwhelming evidence against Kasbar," Hashempour said.

Evidence Kasbar, himself, handed them.

He is currently serving three months in prison for the theft. His next court appearance for the burglaries will be in January 2020.

FBI Special Agent Luis Altamirano, who investigated Isaac's theft, discussed the crime, saying the case "sent a message that (the FBI) takes protecting endangered animals seriously."

For the zoo staff, Isaac's theft and recovery sent them on a roller coaster of emotions.

"It was alarming," the executive director of the Santa Ana Zoo, Ethan Fisher, said. "He seems pretty unfazed by the adventure."

Thankfully, the ordeal is over.

Isaac still hangs out with his fellow five lemurs at the Santa Ana Zoo, where he is thriving as of this report. He has become a bit of a celebrity for all of his experiences, they say.

Be sure and visit the Santa Ana Zoo to see the ring-tailed lemurs and monkeys where they are happiest in their enclosures.

Read also:

• Admitted Lemur Looter Cops To 29 Burglaries In Newport Beach
• Looted Lemur And Mysterious Monkey Caper Rocks Santa Ana Zoo