Man Burglarizes Occupied Cold Spring Harbor Home: Police

A burglar broke into a Cold Spring Harbor home Thursday night to find a house filled with family members, police say.

According to authorities, Jeffrey Rice, 45, of Huntington Station, entered the Fox Hunt Lane home through an unlocked side door at 11 p.m., grabbed a knife from the kitchen and went upstairs into the home.

Rice entered a room that was occupied by a 7-year-old girl and her 85-year-old aunt and proceeded to assault the elderly woman before exiting the room, police say. The burglar was then confronted by the 35-year-old female homeowner and became involved in a brief physical altercation with the homeowner’s 37-year-old husband.

Rice was escorted outside the home by the husband, his brother and brother-in-law, who all held the burglar outside until police arrived, police say.

Officers responded to the scene and arrested Rice. He was charged with first-degree burglary and is scheduled to be arraigned Friday at First District Court in Central Islip.

The 85-year-old-woman was taken to Huntington Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Image via SCPD