A would-be thief who had a change of heart over his criminal intentions left a Montana Papa John’s with another kind of dough – a pizza pie for his family instead of the restaurant’s cash.

The man, who was not named in an Associated Press report of the incident and has not yet been located, intended to rob a Papa John’s in Helena, Mont., Monday when a clerk at the chain talked him out of robbing the Papa John’s.

"I'd say the clerk was pretty astute," Helena Police Chief Troy McGee told the AP. "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."

The would-be thief, wearing a hooded sweatshirt over his face, handed the clerk a note and demanded money from the pizza restaurant.

As the clerk started to hand over money, the thief got cold feet and broke down crying, saying he was only trying to provide for his family.

The clerk tried to sympathize with the man and offered to make him a pizza and chicken wings, the AP reported.

While the man waited for the meal, a large knife fell out of his pocket, McGee told the AP. But the would-be thief did not threaten anyone with the weapon.

The man then left the restaurant with a pizza, chicken wings and some soda.

McGee said the incident is unusual in Helena, the capital of Montana.

“In Helena, I don't recall recently something like this has happened," McGee 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."

McGee said he was a little worried that the man, who has not been located, would make another attempt to rob the restaurant.

"We'd like to locate the suspect," he told the AP, adding that it’s unclear what type of charges the man would face, if any. "We'd hate to have him do this again."