There’s been a crime wave on the streets of Japanese city Yamaguchi in recent weeks with 42 people – including children, women and the elderly – falling victim to scratching and biting assaults. Blame has been laid at the door (or tree…) of some marauding macaque monkeys – although officials are unsure if the attacks are the work of a group or one rotten banana. The attacks aren’t just out in the open – some have happened after an animal has broken into apartments and schools by sliding screen doors or entering through open windows. Since the first attack earlier this month, attempts to capture the macaques with traps have been unsuccessful, and police patrols have failed to stop them. The next step is to shoot them with tranquiliser guns and remove them from the city. Once a vulnerable species, Japanese macaque numbers have recently increased. Experts say urbanisation + more monkeys = inter-species conflict.