BENTONVILLE -- A Bentonville woman is a suspected cat burglar, but she's not accused of stealing expensive jewelry. She's charged with stealing a kitten.

Brittany Dunn, 27, is charged with commercial burglary, a Class C felony; and theft of property, a Class A misdemeanor. She was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

Dunn was playing with kittens Aug. 5 at Rose Animal Clinic in Bentonville when she took one of the kittens and left the business, according to a probable cause affidavit. A clinic employee followed Dunn and was able to retrieve the kitten after a struggle with Dunn, according to court documents.

Police were able to apprehend Dunn near the clinic, according to court documents.

A person commits commercial burglary if he or she enters or remains unlawfully in a commercial occupiable structure of another with the purpose of committing any crime punishable by imprisonment, according to Arkansas law.

Dunn was only in court for a short time Monday afternoon before Benton County Circuit Judge Brad Karren ordered her to be removed. The hearing was conducted via video. Dunn was in the courtroom at the the county jail.

Karren asked Dunn a few times to stop speaking while he was talking. Dunn then gave the "middle finger" while in the jail courtroom, and Karren ordered her to be removed.

Jonathan Faught, Dunn's attorney, entered the not guilty plea on her behalf.

Faught also requested a mental evaluation for Dunn. The evaluation will determine whether Dunn is mentally fit to stand trial and if she is criminally responsible for her actions.

Karren suspended the proceedings pending the outcome of the mental evaluation.

Karren found Dunn in contempt of court and ordered her to serve 30 days in the jail. He suspended the sentence until she has her mental evaluation.

A mental status hearing is set for 8:30 a.m. Oct. 31.

She faces from three to 10 years in prison if convicted of the felony and up to a year in jail if convicted of the misdemeanor theft charge.

NW News on 09/13/2016