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Philadelphia Man Ordered Held For Trial In Robbery Of Lower Merion Restaurant

By Brad Segall

BALA CYNWYD, Pa. (CBS) -- A Montgomery County judge ordered a Philadelphia man held for trial on Wednesday for his alleged role in an armed robbery that terrorized several employees and customers at a popular Main Line restaurant in July.

The manager on duty at Hymie's Restaurant in Lower Merion the night of July 14th told the court that it was an extremely terrifying event. He testified the robbers threatened to shoot him if he didn't move faster and feared for his life.

Forty-year-old Michael Schaefer was expected to stand trial on numerous charges, including 19 counts of felony robbery, conspiracy and firearms offenses. Prosecutor Tom McGoldrick says they also provided what he called compelling video.

"The surveillance footage provided a very clear picture of what happened during the robbery," he says. "However, all four of the men who went into rob Hymie's concealed their faces with bandanas and ski masks."

McGoldrick says the customers and employees were ordered to the floor and told to give up their cell phones and wallets. The bandits fled with an undetermined amount of cash.

The manhunt continued on Thursday for the other three suspects.

Schaefer remained behind bars on $500,000 cash bail.

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