Mischievous monkey in a pink tutu leads cops on wild chase

This is not the time to slack off!

Authorities in Missouri have found a missing spider monkey after it opened the door of its owner’s home and walked out.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said it received a 911 call after the primate was found wandering around the intersection of two highways near the city of Otto, south of the St. Louis area, Friday afternoon.

Officers responded to the scene and found the monkey wearing a pink tutu, according to images shared on the sheriff’s office Facebook page.

The monkey appeared to be in a relaxed mood as he posed for the camera.

A deputy knelt on the ground before the animal approached and grabbed its hands as if they were going to dance.

The sheriff’s office described the standoff as “bananas.”

The monkey was spotted Friday afternoon at the intersection of two highways in the city of Otto, south of St. Louis, before police arrived and had no trouble securing it.

The sheriff’s office thanked police for their ability to “bring this banana situation under control without incident.”

“After careful negotiations and some pushing, deputies were able to get close enough to get hands on with the subject and get this banana situation under control without incident,” the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said.

The sheriff’s office praised officers for the way they responded to the unusual call.

“In all seriousness, this is a prime example of how law enforcement officers never know what to expect on any given call, and they must be prepared for whatever the job throws at them,” the sheriff’s office said.

The timing was coincidental. On Saturday, the region was hit by a winter storm with snow and ice, closing roads and causing temperatures to drop.

Officers were able to reunite the runaway monkey with its caretaker.

One person commented that the monkey should be “grounded for a week” without bananas.