A Maryland man is facing charges after allegedly stealing a kitten from a pet store and then using the animal during an attempted bank robbery, according to authorities.
Prince George's County police arrested the suspect at a PNC Bank in Beltsville on Tuesday. He is accused of entering a nearby Pet Supplies Plus, stealing a 3-month-old kitten named Magnolia, and then proceeding to the bank.
Witnesses told NBC Washington that the man carried the black-and-white tuxedo kitten into the bank and asked an employee to hold it before he presented a teller with a note demanding cash. The robbery attempt was unsuccessful, and the suspect was taken into custody at the scene.
Stephanie Stullich, with the Beltsville Community Cats rescue organization, stated that pet store employees alerted her around 10:30 a.m. that Magnolia had been taken from the store's adoption area. Officers later informed her of the suspect's actions inside the bank.
Magnolia was found unharmed. Beltsville Community Cats later posted on Facebook that the kitten's brief involvement in the crime was over and that she was safe.
The kitten, described as affectionate and playful, is now available for adoption. The rescue recommends she be placed in a home with another young, playful cat due to her energetic nature. She is seeking a home with a "law-abiding citizen with a lot of love in their heart."