The Prince George’s County Police Department in Maryland was presented with one of the most unusual bank robberies earlier this week when they received reports of a criminal wielding a cute kitten.
They reported that on Monday, July 13, their officers arrested a man who had allegedly attempted to rob the Beltsville branch of PNC Bank. Beltsville Community Cats provided further details, reporting that a man walked into a Pet Supplies Plus and swiped a 3.5-month-old adorable kitty named Magnolia.
“Wow, that’s a heck of a response for a stolen cat”
The store clerk raised the alarm after the catnapping, but didn’t realize the kitten had been taken into the bank. She says:
“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 realized they all were going down to the bank.”
They say the suspect then entered the bank and “tried to use her as an accessory in his attempted robbery.” Magnolia was handed to the bank manager as the suspect wrote a note demanding “all the cash”, which he handed to a teller.
This kitten-based robbery tactic was apparently unsuccessful, as the suspect was then arrested. Magnolia was left safe and sound with the bank manager, where it’s reported that “the two had bonded over their shared ordeal.” They also reassure everyone that Magnolia has not picked up any criminal tendencies (though she might make a good cat burglar):
“Now that her brief “life of crime” is behind her, Magnolia is back to doing what she does best: stealing hearts. She’s still looking for her forever home, where the only things she’ll be stealing are treats, toys, and cuddles.”
In other kitten-related news, a man who saw a lone kitten in the road and stepped out to save it was shocked when nine more kittens emerged from the grass, giving him more cuteness than he could handle.
Pet Supplies Plus also commented that the suspect had repeatedly entered the store and seemed to be fixated on Magnolia, telling NBC that “he’d been coming in nearly every day for a couple weeks, always making a beeline for the kitten.”
It is unclear what the plan was, and neither the suspect nor his representatives have commented on the bizarre incident. In addition, the Prince George’s County Police Department has declined to name the suspect or release other additional details, saying the case is still under investigation.
Elsewhere in Maryland, a woman shared a bizarre experience when she dropped off her toddler at summer camp, only to look up and see everyone else smiling at her.
Published: Jul 15, 2026 07:48 am