Teen steals endangered lemur from a zoo

California - The animal is only found in the wild in Madagascar and is among the 25 most endangered species.

A 19-year-old California man pleaded guilty to stealing an endangered rare ring-tailed lemur from a zoo and could face up to one year in prison and $100,000 fine.
Aquinas Kasbar broke into the Santa Ana Zoo on July 27, 2018, using a bolt cutter to make a hole in the fence surrounding the lemur and capuchin monkey enclosure. He picked up Isaac, the 32-year-old lemur who is also the oldest of its species in captivity in North America, and escaped. The animals are only found in the wild in Madagascar and are among the 25 most endangered primates due in part to the illegal pet trade.
According to the Department of Justice (DoJ) press release, Kasbar stole Isaac in "a plastic drawer that lacked ventilation holes". He dropped the lemur the next day, still in the box, outside the Newport Beach Marriott Bayview hotel with a handwritten note asking that it be returned to the zoo.
Kasbar signed a plea agreement to one misdemeanor count of unlawfully taking an endangered species, the DoJ said, confirming that Isaac is healthy, Buzzfeed reported.
While Kasbar has a criminal record with 29 felonies and two misdemeanor charges related to a series of residential burglaries in Newport Beach for which he was arrested in December last, and released on a $500,000 bail.
For the zoo break-in, Kasbar's first appearance in federal court will be on May 28 in the United States District Court in Santa Ana.