Armed Robber fended off by store clerk with, um, pizza.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/robber-change-heart-inspires-clerk-pizza-193415171.html

When a crime is committed, it's not always a matter of black and white: Just because someone commits a crime does not mean that person is automatically bad. Take what happened at a Papa John's in the Helena, Montana, area. A man, armed with a knife, allegedly walked into the pizzeria early Tuesday morning as the staff was closing for the night and passed the clerk a note demanding money from the register.

When the clerk began taking money out of the register to give to the alleged robber, the robber began to cry. As he cried, he explained to the clerk that he needed money for his wife and children, who were hungry. The warm-hearted clerk spoke to the man and decided to make him a pizza and some chicken wings. The man waited patiently at a table while the clerk prepared the meal, and when it was done, he took the food and left.

Helena Police Chief Troy McGee hailed the clerk for handling the delicate and dangerous situation so well. "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."
_______________________________________________________________________________

Too bad the guy wasn't met with a gun instead. After all, that's the only way to address the situation.


I will say I fully and unequivocally support the right to bear pizza to protect one's self.

Oh, and on a completely unrelated note, I think that brave clerk is deserving of some health care. Hint, hint, John Schnatter.

[zappaman]

1. To be fair...

A Papa John's pizza would make me run the other way too!

[Wait Wut]

2. You win.

First post of the day to bring tears to my eyes.

I hope the guy finds some help for his family. I'm going to assume that he'll rethink his new career as thief. And, yes, that clerk deserves health care, a raise, a medal, and a lot of good karma points. Maybe a hug, too.

[abelenkpe]

14. +1000 nt

[legaleagle_45]

3. Right to Bear Pizza

But we need to restrict the right to keep high capacity pepperoni

[elleng]

4. HELL NO!

NO LIMITS on PEPPERONI!!!

[KamaAina]

6. From what I hear,

any infringement on the right to keep and bear pepperoni would cause WV to leave the union!!

[elleng]

9. West Virginia???

What about Maryland, DC, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania???

[KamaAina]

13. Do any of those other states have pepperoni rolls?

Well?

[elleng]

16. I THINK so!!!

Daily Slice: Pepperoni Roll at Paterson, NJ's Center City Pizza

http://slice.seriouseats.com/archives/2012/09/daily-slice-pepperoni-roll-at-paterson-njs-center-city-pizza.html

[KamaAina]

22. Well, I'll be doggoned.

I first learned of their existence from Lyric and/or Rhythm, so I assumed they were a WV delicacy, like chowder in Boston or gumbo in New Orleans.

[elleng]

23. I understand, KamaAina,

but you do know that chowder and gumbo are available in other places than Boston and New Orleans, right? What is it? 'Global economy???'

[monmouth3]

15. Don't forget the cheese. Lotsa cheese is good too...

[elleng]

18. SAUCE!

[monmouth3]

20. Oh well, that goes without saying...LOL..

[JoeBlowToo]

5. If onlyt he had been armed with a calzone...

there would have a massacre.

Okay, I admit it, that was kind of cheesy.

[Hoyt]

7. Thank goodness he wasn't shot by a gun toter playing jesus, judge and jury.

[longship]

8. If we outlaw pizzas only criminals will have pizzas.

Mama Mia! That's a spicy meat ball!


Good post!
R&K

[kestrel91316]

10. Papa John is going to fire that clerk in 3....2....1.... for stealing product from the company.

Just watch.

[WinstonSmith4740]

25. My thoughts exactly!

No doubt in my mind, except I figured they'd go the "made an executive decision without authorization" route.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

30. Pretty sure that pizza cost more than 14 cents.

Which is sadly too much for the PJ's corporate brass.

[joeybee12]

11. What's with all the drama at papa John's in Montana? Yesterday it was the robber who cried..

and the clerk made him food...today it's fighting off with a pizza...is it because it's so damn cold up there right now?

[a2liberal]

27. Same story I think

the headline was just worded to be humorous...

[Dpm12]

12. That is

cool. Way to go for the pizza guy

[HockeyMom]

17. We never hear these stories reported

only those with GUNS. I am sure there a LOT more of these, but the gun culture doesn't want you to hear them.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

19. That was a beautifully sad story.

I wonder what's going to happen to the man now? I'd imagine they have him on video, and he's wanted for attempted robbery?

[Whisp]

21. It must have been a troll on DU - fear of pizza syndrome. n/t

[zbdent]

24. Apparently, the only way to stop a bad man with a gun

is a good man with a pizza ...

Must have had bacon on it.

And, knowing some of the policies of places on "defending yourself" and armed robberies, I'm surprised the guy wasn't fired.

[klook]

26. Happiness is a Warm Pizza. (n/t)

[Kalidurga]

28. If only we took this approach to all problems.

I don't mean giving everyone a pizza. But, something close. Like when people are poor perhaps we could give them a college education. Or when someone is mentally ill perhaps we could give them a nurturing environment and counselling. Or when someone has the skills to work but can't find a job surely there is enough money in the budget to employ them at something, preferably within their skill set. Or when someone is obese, perhaps we could get them in some kind of program that would teach real nutrition and the skills to overcome that. I could go on and on and on. The point is that compassion almost always works better than violence.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

29. Fewer Guns. More Compassion.

It'll change the world. I promise.