3 Men Steal $50 From Local Store

Three armed men held up Cahaly's of Harvard Square last night, escaping with more than $50 after threatening two cashiers at gunpoint, witnesses said.

The three men entered the 47 Mt. Auburn St. store at about 9:30 p.m., two cashiers who were on duty at the time said afterwards.

The cashiers described one gunman as being in his mid-30s with a beard and glasses, and the other as tall with broken teeth and a "lamb-chop beard."

After "shopping around for a few minutes," two of the men drew pistols while the third guarded the door, one cashier said. The cashiers, both female Harvard sophomores who asked not to be identified, said they handed over the $50, and the men fled after 15 minutes in the store.

Cambridge police, who declined comment, arrived to investigate several minutes later in response to a call from store employees.

Police took several people who witnessed the hold-up in the store to the Cambridge station to look at mug-shots. As of 11:30 p.m. the police had made no arrests and were continuing their search for the three men.

"I thought he was going to kill me," one cashier said, adding, "I just saw a 60 Minutes episode where they shoot all these people and that's all I could think about; I was just waiting for him to shoot me."

The other cashier added. "The guy just shoved the gun in my face and I knew I was going to do anything he said."

Harry Houdini

Cahaly's was last robbed in April 1981. Five years ago, after another hold-up, the owner, who was unavailable for comment last night, installed a safe to protect the store's revenues.

"I had just put some large bills away when the guys came in," one cashier said, adding, "so they didn't get away with really that much money."