A man nabbed a kitten from a pet store in Beltsville on Monday and took her with him as he allegedly tried to rob a bank. The hair-raising tale was recounted in a social media post by a local volunteer pet organization and has since gone viral.
The black-and-white tuxedo kitten, Magnolia, was taken from Pet Supplies Plus in the Chestnut Hills Shopping Center, according to Beltsville Community Cats. The man then walked into a nearby PNC Bank branch, clutching the kitten.
He asked a bank teller to hold the kitten while he wrote a note, then handed it to the employee. A Beltsville Community Cats volunteer told NBC Washington 4 that the note demanded cash.
Police confirmed that officers responded to the 10400 block of Baltimore Avenue late Monday morning for a reported unarmed bank robbery. Police arrested the man.
Magnolia was found safe in the bank manager’s office, according to Beltsville Community Cats.
The investigation is ongoing, Prince George’s County Police said in an email. No one was injured in the incident.
Pet store employees said the man had been visiting every day for a couple of weeks to check out the kitten, NBC Washington 4 reported.
Once he saw that no employees were near the front of the store, the man grabbed a key and opened the cat adoption area.
“He just went right to her and ran right on out,” store manager Aaron Kurkowski told the news station.
A “true purr machine,” Magnolia is sweet and playful with lots of energy, according to her adoption bio. She’s still looking for her forever home, especially one with other cats.
Those who are interested can email Beltsville Community Cats at rescue@beltsvillecats.net.
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