74-year-old Vietnam vet takes on intruder inside Coram home

A 74-year-old Vietnam vet is recovering from injuries suffered when he tried to take on a burglar inside his Coram home.



Richard Cummo suffered broken bones and bruises after fighting off the burglar.

Police say 40-year-old Edward Marasco, of Coram, broke into Cummo's house on Peters Street Sunday afternoon and stole jewelry, a laptop and house and car keys. They say Marasco then returned to Cummo's home around 12:50 a.m. Wednesday and tried to break in again.



Cummo says he heard a loud banging noise, opened the front door and that's when the encounter with Marasco began.



"He didn't say a word to me and hits me. I hit him two times back," says Cummo. "Then he hit me, knocked me down, sat on me and kept punching me. I said what's the matter? I'm 74 years old. You're breaking into my house. That's what I'm telling him."



Marasco ran off but was arrested by police minutes later. Police say when he showed up at Cummo's house Wednesday he had the house and car keys with him.



Cummo is worried that under the state's new bail reform law Marasco will soon be on the streets again.



A spokesperson for the Suffolk District Attorney's office says Marasco is still in custody. He was arraigned on assault charges and criminal possession of stolen property.



Marasco's bail was set at $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond.