Two more LED-covered metal monkeys were stolen from the roof of Red Mill Burgers overnight, making a total of five monkeys stolen from the neighborhood lighting display in the last month.
Mike Veitenhans, one of the lighting project organizers, tells us he filed a police report this morning. The first two monkeys were stolen from the trees in front of In the Red Wine Bar; the third was stolen yesterday from Red Mill.
Holiday monkeys on Red Mill Burgers and neighboring Starbucks in late November. Photo by Mike Veitenhans.
Since the thieves left behind the lighting controllers, he says the police believe the monkeys were stolen for scrap metal. Each monkey has only about $20 worth of metal.
The Phinney Neighborhood Association Business Membership Group and the Greenwood Arts Council came up with the lighting project as a tie-in to Woodland Park Zoo’s annual WildLights and a way to promote neighborhood businesses in a unique way. Each monkey has roughly $80 worth of materials and another $120 worth of volunteer time.
The monkeys – about 150 throughout the neighborhood – have been displayed since Thanksgiving week and will be taken down beginning Jan. 2 and stored until next year.
If you have any information about the stolen monkeys, call the PNA at 206-783-2244. Veitenhans says the stolen monkeys also can be dropped off at the PNA, no questions asked.
