Thief tries to rob bank in Beltsville [Maryland] with stolen kitten in hand

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: NBC4 Washington

Prince George's County
Thief tries to rob bank in Beltsville with stolen kitten in hand

The man was arrested and the kitten, who is up for adoption, made it through unharmed.

By Jackie Bensen • Published July 14, 2026 • Updated on July 14, 2026 at 1:06 am

A man grabbed a kitten from the adoption area of a Maryland pet store, then allegedly tried to use her to rob a nearby bank. News4’s Jackie Bensen breaks down what happened.

A man grabbed a kitten from the adoption area of a Maryland pet store, then allegedly tried to use her to rob a nearby bank. ... But it was far from the purr-fect crime — police were on the scene in minutes, and the kitten, named Magnolia, came through it all unharmed.

Security camera video shows a man wearing a light-colored t-shirt and black beanie walking into Pet Supplies Plus on Baltimore Avenue in Beltsville, Maryland. Seconds later, he ran out clutching a black and white kitten. ... Witnesses said he kept running straight for the PNC Bank in the same shopping center. ... Stephanie Stullich of Beltsville Community Cats rescue was nearby when she got a call from a very alarmed store employee around 10:30 a.m. They said someone used the key hanging nearby to open the cat adoption area and take 3-month-old Magnolia.. ... Stullich drove over immediately.

“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,” she said. “[…] 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?’ And then he wrote a note and handed it to a bank teller and it said, essentially, give me all your cash.”

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Read more: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/thief-tries-to-rob-bank-in-beltsville-with-stolen-kitten-in-hand/4129698/

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Now this here is your LBN of the day.

Hat tip, Andrew Beaujon of the Washingtonian

https://washingtonian.com/2026/07/14/iran-war-again-ice-shooting-maine-kitten-bank-robbery/

[Ray Bruns]

1. Are we sure the cat wasn't involved. I think it was the mastermind and the man was just a patsy.

[Bengus81]

3. I think the kitty was in on it. I want Judge Winebox to open an investigation

[jeffreyi]

11. The cat is starting young. Alarming.

But not unexpected.

[cstanleytech]

2. Sufferin succotash!!

[generalbetrayus]

4. I lived in Prince Georges County between ages 15 and 22 and nearby between 3 and 15. This story does not surprise me.

[generalbetrayus]

5. Pfft, the bank robber might have had more success if he had picked a kitten with firearms training.

[Ray Bruns]

6. Yea, I'm not buying the whole "innocent kitten" routine.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. The kitten needs to appear in a photograph

holding the sports section from today's Washington Post.

And good morning.

[johnnyplankton]

8. I wonder if the guy was from Florida...

It's such a Floridian thing to do

[Blumancru]

9. A cat would be the natural accomplice for a bank robber. No dog would ever do such a thing.

[jeffreyi]

12. Not even a Corgi?

[generalbetrayus]

13. A German Shepard would make the arrest.

[Blumancru]

17. No! Dog is Man's best friend. Cat is Furniture's worst enemy.

[mdbl]

10. Sounds like a weird movie script

[generalbetrayus]

14. Oh, the alleged bank robber was just kitten around.

[catrose]

15. Surprised the kitten didn't bite him

She could have put him in the hospital

[Jack Valentino]

16. How can she hand over all their cash while holding the kitten ??

Somebody didn't think this through--- but 'not guilty by reason of insanity' might be on the table....

Clearly this person is mentally disturbed...