Police in Hackney, London, are hunting a monkey that may have been trained to steal mobile phones.

Officers believe that two people may have been victims of the monkey business over the weekend after two burglaries were reported in as many hours.

One victim, Mustapha Riat, confirmed seeing a hairy black chimpanzee climb through his ground floor flat window at about 8.30am on Sunday morning. The chimp stole his mobile phone from the bedside table before make a quick exit.

Police think that the chimp may also be responsible for another break-in at a house 20 doors down from Riat, at 6.30 the same morning.

The victim, Gina Davidson, said that a watch had been taken and that the chimp had apparently attempted to take a DVD player.

A report in the Sun said that Scotland Yard had investigated a fair at nearby Victoria Park, but confirmed that no monkeys were among the acts.

The police now believe that the monkey is a pet especially trained to steal. Scotland Yard apparently has its "greatest minds" on the case.