Monkey Eludes Dragnet At Tokyo Train Station

Morning train commuters in Tokyo were joined on their way to work by an unusual companion Wednesday: a wild monkey.

A security guard spotted the monkey near ticket gates in Shibuya Station, and climbed to a perch high atop a departure board.

Around 30 policemen surrounded the area and attempted to snare it with a variety of nets, as commuters crowded around and snapped pictures with their cell phones.

But the standoff ended abruptly when the monkey climbed down and dashed out of the station, with several policeman and local TV crews in tow. The animal appeared to be a Japanese monkey, which are native to the country, and was about 27 inches long.

Monkeys are a common sight in Japan, where they have been known to damage crops, swipe food and even clothes.

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