Police said they then went to the empty home in Lancaster, located just south of Dallas, and found the monkeys safe in a closet.

"DPD located the animals early this evening, and called our team to come secure and transport the tamarins back to the Zoo.

The empty building where the monkeys were found was recently broken into and filled with wild animals, according to a nearby church that owned the property and planned to use it as a youth center.

"We reached out to authorities saying that we thought we knew who the person was and how we have had recent break-ins at our youth center that we've been trying to get going for the community," said Tanya, the daughter of the church's pastor who wished to be identified by her first name.

"The intruder not only caused significant damage to the youth center's facilities, but also put the safety of both the animals and the community at risk.

Despite the setback, the church remains committed to its mission of providing support and resources to those in need and is working closely with local authorities to ensure that the culprit is brought to justice," the spokesman said.