Joseph K. Costello IV ’03-’04, who visited the store about an hour after the robbery—after the police had left, but prior to the arrival of a team of specialists who collected the evidence—said the pieces of the gun on the floor appeared not to belong to an actual firearm.

“The barrel was lying on the ground and there was a spring on the ground. It looked like it was a toy gun or a pellet gun,” Costello said. “It definitely appeared to be fake.”

Monday’s incident marked the second time this year that Chen has been robbed by an armed assailant. The first robbery occurred during winter break, on Friday, Jan. 2.

Chen did not know of any suspects having been apprehended yet in connection with the first robbery, but he said he did not think the January suspect was one of the two men who held him up on Monday night.

“These people were taller than the January person, but maybe they belong to the same group,” Chen said.

Pasquarello said that it was unclear whether this robbery was connected at all to the January robbery.

This has been a difficult year for Chen who, in addition to the armed robberies, was caught selling alcohol to four underage Harvard students by a CPD officer on Feb. 4.

Although Chen will not serve any jail time for the offense, the Cambridge Licensing Commission decided on March 17 to suspend his liquor license for 12 days.

Chen said he will serve the 12-day suspension during the first two weeks of June.

When asked if he plans to close the store permanently after his troubles, Chen said he did not yet know.

“I have to sit back and see what’s going on,” Chen said. “Too many things have happened in three months.”

But Chen did say that he will increase store security by keeping his door locked from the outside after dark.

“I won’t let everybody come into the store, only those I feel comfortable with,” Chen said. “I hope the students understand.”

Costello said that locking the door was a necessary measure given the dangerous area.

“It’s a pretty good idea. If he is in there alone, then he has to let you in,” rather than people entering at will, Costello said.