Smith spent 10 minutes on his knees praying with the shaken clerk at the Indianapolis branch after she said God could save him and that he still had a chance to do the right thing and walk away.

But the spiritual heart-to-heart failed to dissuade him from taking the clerk's mobile phone and money from the till.

Cashier Angela Montez, 43, told police: 'He said that he hated to have to do this, but times were hard and he had no choice.'

Smith whose face was clearly shown on CCTV - explained to Ms Montez that he had a two-year-old child to feed and wanted to pray to ask God how he could overcome his hardships.

Ms Montez's preaching may well have saved her from serious harm, as Smith took what he claimed was the only bullet out of his gun before he left, promising not to hurt her.

He then ordered her to stay in the toilet for 20 minutes before calling the police.

Twenty-three-year old Smith handed himself into police after his mum saw him on television.

She probably gave him hell for what he did.