A five-month-old tuxedo kitten named Magnolia has retired from her brief criminal involvement and found a permanent home after being used in an attempted bank robbery in Beltsville, Maryland.
Last month, Jacob Loethen, 19, entered a Pet Supplies Plus store and removed Magnolia, then three months old, from her enclosure. Employees at the store noted that Loethen had been observing the kitten for some time and may have been identifying the location of enclosure keys.
Following the kitten's removal, Loethen entered a bank and, according to a Facebook post by Beltsville Community Cats, handed the kitten to the manager while writing a note. He then presented the note to a teller, demanding cash. Police responded to the scene and arrested Loethen, who was subsequently charged with robbery, second-degree assault, and attempted theft, according to Prince George's County Circuit Court records.
Stephanie Stullich, president of Beltsville Community Cats, confirmed that Magnolia was found safe inside the bank manager's office. Stullich suggested that Loethen might be struggling with mental health issues rather than being a hardened criminal.
Magnolia's unusual role in the robbery attracted significant attention, resulting in 21 adoption applications after she returned to Pet Supplies Plus. However, the rescue organization opted to place Magnolia with a family who had expressed interest prior to the incident. Kaylei Roldan, 28, who had applied to adopt Magnolia a week before the bank robbery, was chosen. Roldan had initially intended Magnolia to be a companion for her existing tuxedo cat, Kuro.
Roldan learned about the robbery through news reports and did not initially connect it to the kitten she had applied for, as they had not yet met. After meeting Magnolia, Roldan observed a matching black marking around the kitten's nose, similar to her own cat's appearance, which helped her realize the connection.
Magnolia has since adjusted to a quiet, crime-free life. She now spends her days climbing a cat tree, cuddling with Kuro, and enjoying chicken-flavored treats. Beltsville Community Cats shared on Facebook that Magnolia is now "stealing hearts" in her new home.
