Elderly man terrorised in home invasion
An elderly Melbourne man who was savagely bashed and stabbed in the face by a screwdriver-wielding robber in a home invasion has told of his terrifying ordeal.
Angelo Taranto was told he would be killed if he didn't comply with the thief's demands.
The 82-year-old told Seven News reporter Brendan Roberts he was woken when the intruder, armed with a screwdriver and a bottle, smashed his way in through a window of the Burke Road property, in Malvern, at around 6am on Wednesday.
"He came inside with a screwdriver, grabbed me and he put a screwdriver to my throat," Mr Taranto said.
"Give me the money or I'll kill you...he said three times he was going to kill me."
Mr Taranto said he tried to fight back, but was punched and then struck in the face with what is believed to be a screwdriver.
"He had the screwdriver in his hands and I took it from him. I'm an old man, he was too young for me," Mr Taranto said.
The intruder then tied a bag over Mr Taranto's head, locked him in his bathroom, and ransacked the house before escaping with just $45 and two mobile phones.
The victim's terrified wife discovered him drenched in blood and shaking.
"I couldn't see where the blood had come from, if it was from the face or the neck, because there was blood everywhere," she said.
"He was shaking."
Mr Taranto remains in hospital where he is being treated for facial injuries.
Despite bearing painful scars, he say he feels fortunate.
"I feel very lucky I'm still alive," he said. "I feel lucky that I never hurt or killed him," he said.
The attacker is described as Caucasian, about 177cm tall and of medium build.
Police are hoping to track down witnesses, possibly among fitness groups who use a nearby park and may have seen something.
They have set up an information caravan at the intersection of Burke Road and Davies Street.
