A clueless crook snatched a tiny kitten from a pet shop's adoption enclosure before immediately trying to use her as a bizarre prop in a nearby bank heist. The feline fiasco quickly fell flat as police swarmed the scene within minutes, and the adorable black-and-white kitten—named Magnolia—was rescued completely unscathed.
The Theft and Bank Robbery
CCTV footage captured a man dressed in a light-coloured t-shirt and a black beanie strolling into the Pet Supplies Plus store on Baltimore Avenue in Beltsville, Maryland, US. Moments later, he was seen dashing out of the doors clutching the helpless three-month-old baby animal. Eyewitnesses watched in disbelief as the suspect bolted straight towards a PNC Bank located in the same shopping precinct.
Stephanie Stullich, from the Beltsville Community Cats rescue group, was nearby when she received a frantic phone call from a panicked shop worker at around 10:30am. Staff revealed that the thief had grabbed a key hanging nearby to unlock the adoption pen and snatch little Magnolia. Stullich raced over to the scene, only to find the area crawling with emergency services.
Police Response and Arrest
As reported by NBC4 Washington, Stullich said: "I immediately saw all of these police cars and I thought, 'Wow, that's a heck of a response for a stolen cat,' but then I realised they all were going down to the bank. They came back out a few minutes later and said, 'Yes, there is a cat inside the bank.' Apparently he went into the bank with the cat in his arms and he walked up to a bank employee and said, 'Can you hold this?' Then he wrote a note and handed it to a bank teller and it said, essentially, give me all your cash."
Prince George's County Police confirmed they arrested a male suspect inside the bank. Dumbfounded pet shop staff revealed the man had actually been visiting the store almost daily for a fortnight, always zeroing in on the same kitten.
Kitten's Safety and Future
Store manager Aaron Kurkowski said: "I came in and saw that none of my team was nearby the front, and he just went right to her and ran right on out." Thankfully, Magnolia is back in safe hands and is still looking for her forever home. Offering some advice to potential owners, Stullich added: "She is looking for a law-abiding citizen with a lot of love in their heart."
