IT was like a scene out of Hollywood — the hapless, hooded bandit produced a small knife to hold up a pizza shop, only to be locked in.
And when he managed to break out, he and another man, believed to be an accomplice, were chased down the street by the owner, a staff member and police.
The bandit ended up in deep trouble — not dough — after trying to rob the Lavington Domino’s pizza shop.
Dressed in a hoodie and wearing dark glasses, he entered the Wagga Road shop about 10.30pm on Saturday.
He told the owner he was there to pick up his pizza, asked for a lemonade, then produced a small knife and demanded cash.
“I said: ‘are you serious?’,” the owner, who did not want to be named, said.
“I thought it was a joke at first.”
The owner handed the thief some cash and pushed a button that locked the front door.
"He didn’t expect to be chased. He didn’t expect the door to be locked and he didn’t expect the cops to be driving past."
The thief forced the lock by repeatedly kicking the door, then fled north with the other person along Wagga Road.
Patrolling police saw what was happening and joined the chase.
The pair were caught in the nearby Red Rooster car park.
“Everything happened so fast,” the owner said yesterday.
“My intention was not to take the money back, but to scare them.
“I wanted to tell them if they do this next time, I will chase them.
“He didn’t expect to be chased.
“He didn’t expect the door to be locked and he didn’t expect the cops to be driving past.
“We chased him to Red Rooster and near The Doctors — it was a good outcome.”
The owner said he was not scared and had enjoyed the incident.
“It was like a Hollywood scene. It was good.
“I liked it.
“He said he had acted to protect his sick wife.
“Nobody was hurt, that’s the main thing,” he said. “If I was scared I wouldn’t have chased him.
“He didn’t know what he was doing.”
The shop closed early for police to interview witnesses, but it was back to business as usual yesterday.
A man, 28, has been charged and released on bail to appear in court on July 15.
Albury’s Inspector David Cottee said a youth was helping police with inquiries.