HOLIDAY, Fla. (WSVN) — When deputies in north Florida arrested a man for car theft, they found an unexpected passenger along for the ride.

The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office took 23-year-old Cody Hession into custody Friday morning after they said he drove a stolen vehicle into a ditch.

As they arrested Hession, his pet Capuchin monkey gripped tightly onto his polo shirt. Deputies said Hession did not have a permit for the exotic pet, a male named “Monk,” which could lead to more charges.

Hession told deputies he bought the monkey from a South Carolina breeder several years ago, according to Fox 13.

Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission officers took possession of the monkey, transporting him to the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary until Hession’s case gets resolved.

“We routinely receive questions about animals after arrests and felt this an opportunity to highlight our partnership with FWC,” the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook.