Police Chief Troy McGee said, “In Helena, I don’t recall recently something like this has happened.”
A Montana man, who was apparently able to summon the courage to rob a Papa John’s Pizzeria in the small town of Helena, changed his mind and left with food for his hungry family instead. The New York Post reports that as the clerk started to hand him the money, he broke down crying and explained that he was just trying to provide for his family.
The clerk spoke with the would be robber for a few minutes, and then offered to make him a pizza and some chicken wings. Helena Police Chief Troy McGee said,
I’d say the clerk was pretty astute. I mean, he knows how to talk to this person. Kind of commiserated with him a little. Talked to him about it and you know actually changed his mind about robbing the place. That was pretty good.
Chief McGee said that while the man waited for his food a large knife fell out of his pocket, but that he never threatened anyone with it. The man took the food and some soda and left on foot according to the clerk. McGee also said,
We have had a few in the past where people have changed their minds. But actually sitting down and waiting for the food and that sort of thing, no … We’d like to locate the suspect. We’d hate to have him do this again.
However, the Chief isn’t sure what, if any charges could be brought against the would-be thief.
Aw. Love these stories. Hope both men are on the rise.
Cool. So, the clerk used a timed weapon with a long fuse: cholesterol. A very Eastern approach to self-defense, using the aggressor’s own desires against him. Atherosclerosis also doesn’t put innocent bystanders at risk, and it’ll never get traced back to the clerk. Ingenious tactic.