MARLBOROUGH, Mass. — Two people have been arrested after Marlborough Police say surveillance video showed them breaking into a house while a Vietnam veteran was in the hospital fighting for his life.
Last week, 68-year-old Gene Rano was hospitalized after suffering serious burns to more than 40% of his body while burning brush near his home.
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Rano is currently in a coma at Massachusetts General Hospital after doctors amputated both of his legs.
Marlborough Police: 2 suspects arrested in case of Vietnam Vet’s home that was ransacked and caught on surveillance video. Hear from the victim’s son about the horrible circumstances that led to the Vet not being home when the crimes happened, on @boston25 at 4:00 & 6:00. pic.twitter.com/nxWaQODnbe
— Heather Hegedus (@HeatherHegedus) April 10, 2019
Police say that's when the burglars made their move. Surveillance video inside and outside of the home shows the two breaking in three times over the weekend and loading items like TVs, appliances, and a money jar into a car.
On Wednesday, police arrested 31-year-old Sarah Hampton of Sudbury and 35-year-old Joseph Migliaccio of Woonsocket, Rhode Island and charged them each on two counts of breaking and entering in the daytime and two counts of larceny from a building.
Migliaccio told Boston 25 News reporter Heather Hegedus that the two "had permission to go there," and said "I don't know what you're talking about," when asked about allegedly taking all of Rano's TVs.
"I don't know what you've seen, but his son doesn't know the relationship that me, Gene and Sarah have."
Migliaccio didn't describe that relationship, but did say he allegedly received permission before Rano was in the hospital.
Police say Rano's items were retrieved from a pawn shop in Framingham.
Police believe the man & woman in these photos are 31-yr-old Sarah Hampton of Sudbury & 35-yr-old Joseph Migliaccio of Woonsocket, RI. They’re accused of breaking into a veterans home while he’s in a coma. Hear from police about how they tracked them down on @boston25 at 4:00 pm. pic.twitter.com/qm8FWKISoh
— Heather Hegedus (@HeatherHegedus) April 10, 2019
Rano's son says he thinks he has seen the pair in his father's home socializing with him and he tells Boston 25 News he feels disgusted they may have preyed on the home knowing Rano was in the hospital.
Police tell Boston 25 News that both Hampton and Migliaccio did, in fact, know that Rano was injured in a fire and would not be home, and said the two were certainly not guests.
Hampton and Migliaccio will be arraigned Thursday in Marlborough District Court.
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