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Thieves caught stealing twice from home of Vietnam veteran in coma

Members of the Clovis, N.M., Police Department's Special Weapons and Tactics team handcuff a U.S. airman during a hostile threat exercise at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., June 20, 2012. (Airman 1st Class Eboni Reece/U.S. Air Force)

A Vietnam War veteran’s home was robbed on two separate occasions by two thieves who allegedly knew he was in the hospital.

Sarah Anne Hampton, 31, and Joseph Migliaccio, 35, were charged for stealing from the home of Gene Rano, 68. Surveillance footage showed them taking TVs and other items from the home to a car parked outside.

Local media reported they sold the items to a pawn shop on both occasions and the shop owner has now turned over the items to police.

“It’s disgusting. I don’t have words for it. I hope that the judicial system does its job, because that is going to protect these people more than them being on the streets,” the man’s son Nicholas Rano told local ABC affiliate WCVB. “When all the veterans and people get wind of this through social media and news, there are a lot of upset people other than myself and my family.”

Rano is currently in a medically-induced coma at the hospital and had both legs removed after he was severely burned on April 2 while burning branches in his yard, according to WCVB.

The suspects were each charged with two counts of breaking and entering and two counts of larceny on a disabled person over the age of 65, the news station reported. They are now free on bail.

They appeared in court on Thursday where prosecutors said the pair admitted to the burglary and claimed they needed money to pay for surgery for one of their dogs.

Rano’s son is hopeful that he will recover and move past the recent string of unfortunate incidents.

“My father’s an extremely tough man,” Rano said. “He’s made it through a lot of different trials and tribulations throughout his life, and I’m hoping this is just another one that he can make it through.”

Hampton and Migliaccio are set to appear in court again on June 3.

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© 2019 New York Daily News

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