Andrew Fenech Azzopardi with Bella the dog. Photos: Paul Spiteri Lucas

When a man walked into an Msida travel agency armed with a butcher’s knife, the owner was about to hurl a chair at him when he suddenly remembered his dog was sitting behind his desk.

“I said: ‘Bella, go for him’. When the thief saw the dog move, he just ran out. She didn’t even bark or growl,” Andrew Fenech Azzopardi said.

Mr Fenech Azzopardi, 46, recounted how yesterday morning at about 11am, he was at the agency – HFA Travel in Rue D’Argens, Msida – when an “Eastern European-looking” man in his mid-40s walked in and demanded the cashbox.

‘When he pulled out a very large knife I knew that he was serious’

He initially thought the man was joking. “But when he pulled out a very large knife from his bag, I realised he was serious,” he said.

Refusing to give in to the man, Mr Fenech Azzopardi picked up a chair.

“But then I remembered Bella was sitting next to me, behind the desk,” he grinned.

She knew what to do. It’s amazing

The second the one-year-old Italian mastiff made a move, the man panicked and ran out.

Mr Fenech Azzopardi instinctively gave chase and, with the help of his father who arrived in the meantime, pinned the thief to the ground.

Amazing: Bella the Italian mastiff.

“A neighbour got a piece of wire and we tied his legs until the police arrived and arrested him,” he said.

By the time all this happened, and he gave a statement to police, some 40 minutes had passed.

“I then realised I had left the shop open and anyone could have gone in and taken the cashbox.

“When I went back I found Bella at the door guarding the office.

“She knew what to do. It’s amazing,” he said proudly.