A Montana would-be robber breaks down in tears during crime, causing the clerk gives him a free meal to help feed his family. KTVH's Charlie Misra reports.

An apparent attempt to rob a Papa John’s pizza restaurant in Montana’s capital went awry when the would-be robber -- who was wearing a black hoodie with a red bandana covering his face -- started to cry.

According to the Helena Independent Record, a man entered the restaurant just after midnight Monday and gave the cashier a note demanding money. As the employee started to hand it over, the man broke down and confessed he was doing the deed for his wife and child.

“The clerk talked to him for a while,” Helena Police Chief Troy McGee told the Independent Record, and determined that some free pizza, wings, and soda – to go – are what he really needed.

McGee told the Independent Record that a large knife fell out of the man’s pocket while he was waiting for his food to cook. Once the food was in hand, the man left on foot.

"The clerk handled it well," McGee told NBC News. "You have to put yourself in his shoes in this situation. No one was hurt."

Police were still seeking to talk to the man, described as 5-foot-9 with a slender build, though they were not sure if charges would be brought against him, McGee said. "We'd sure hate to see him do something like this again," McGee said.

A manager at the Papa John’s pizzeria declined to comment to NBC News.

"The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority," said Merisa Sanders, director of marketing for Mountain View Pizza, which owns the local franchise. "We're pleased no one was hurt."