Spooked Monkey Causes Chaos Inside Texas Spirit Halloween Store, Swings from Rafters Before Being Lured Down with Cookie

PLANO, Texas — Halloween shoppers at a Spirit Halloween store in Plano were treated to a real-life fright this week when a pet monkey escaped its owner and began swinging from the store’s rafters, sending customers running and others scrambling for their phones.

According to NBC DFW, the unusual scene unfolded on October 27 when the small brown monkey — wearing a diaper — broke free after being startled by one of the store’s animatronic decorations.

‘It Was Like Animal Kingdom Live’

Customer Arlene Pinkston, who was shopping with her daughters, said she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“My daughter looked up and said, ‘What in the world?’” Pinkston recalled. “She goes, ‘Is that a real monkey?’ and I looked up and said, ‘Well, it’s got a diaper on, so I guess it is real.’”

Pinkston immediately pulled out her phone to record the bizarre sight — footage that quickly spread online.

“It’ll definitely be one that I will not forget anytime soon,” she said. “It was like Animal Kingdom live inside the Halloween store.”

The monkey reportedly stayed up in the rafters for nearly 30 minutes, climbing along shelves as stunned shoppers and employees watched in disbelief.

Employees and Police Step In

Store employee Jimmy Harris told the outlet that the monkey appeared to have been frightened by one of the animatronic Halloween figures.

“It was entertaining,” Harris admitted. “A lot of people just stood and watched it for like 30 minutes. Kids were even trying to catch it.”

However, the situation quickly escalated when the animal leapt to the floor and ran past customers, prompting Pinkston and her daughters to make a quick exit.

“It had jumped down on the floor and ran past my leg,” Pinkston said. “At that point, I was like, ‘OK, I’ve had enough.’”

Plano police arrived shortly after, confirming the animal was loose but not aggressive.

“When officers arrived, they observed a small brown monkey wearing a diaper swinging from the ceiling rafters,” police told People. “The manager of the location was advised that they were not a monkey whisperer but would try to help.”

Monkey Coaxed Down with a Cookie

Ultimately, officers said the owner managed to coax the monkey down using a small cookie, ending the chaos without injury.

“The owner was able to recover the monkey with a small cookie,” police confirmed. “Officers explained to the owner to put a leash on the monkey so it does not happen again. There was no damage or injuries to shoppers, employees, or the monkey.”

Spirit Halloween Responds: ‘Not a Typical Day at the Store’

Spirit Halloween’s Vice President of Marketing, Lisa Barr, said the team reacted quickly and worked with police to resolve the situation safely.

“Our team responded quickly and contacted local authorities, who arrived promptly on the scene,” Barr said in a statement. “In a rather unexpected turn, the monkey was safely coaxed with a cookie. We’re grateful to our staff and local responders for handling the situation swiftly and safely.”

Barr added that while Texas does not ban monkey ownership statewide, the rules vary by city, and the store planned to review its policies to prevent future animal-related incidents.

“While this is certainly not a typical day at Spirit Halloween,” she said, “we’re glad it ended on a positive note.”

The monkey was tagged with identification and returned safely to its owner without any injuries — though shoppers say it’s one Halloween scare they won’t forget anytime soon.

For more stories that mix the strange and the heartwarming, visit NapervilleLocal.com.