A 71-year-old man named Trevor is in intensive care following surgery after he was attacked with a machete during a home invasion on Wednesday morning, an MLA has said, while another source has told the NT Independent two teenagers allegedly tried to cut off the man’s hand, and succeeded in cutting off one of his fingers.

Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Alicia Harvey said in a statement that about 7am Wednesday, offenders broke into a home in Woodroffe, with neighbours saying they heard smashing and later found the 71-year-old man on the ground injured.

“It is alleged that two offenders assaulted the victim with an edged weapon, before stealing his grey Ford Territory station wagon,” Snr Srg Harvey said.

Police said the man was taken to Royal Darwin Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Snr Srg Harvey said a 13-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy were arrested at an unspecified time on Wednesday in a Moulden home and are expected to be charged, while the stolen motor vehicle was abandoned in Woodroffe.

A source with knowledge of the situation told the NT Independent the weapon that had been used was a machete and the boys allegedly tried to cut off the man’s hand, succeeding in cutting a finger off.

“The actions of these individuals are despicable,” Snr Srg Harvey said, “I would like to commend the swift actions of all those involved in these arrests.”

Member for Blain Matthew Kerle told Katie Woolf’s Mix 104.9 radio program on Thursday that the victim’s name was Trevor, who was still in the intensive care unit with wounds to his hands, arms, legs and ear after undergoing surgery.

He said Trevor’s neighbour had called her husband after she saw Trevor’s car driving out of the home during a monsoonal downpour, because she thought that was unusual as he does not drive in the rain due to his age. The husband left his work to go to Trevor’s house and found him lying on the bathroom floor, Mr Kerle said.

“So he suffered a lot of, lot of cuts to his arms and and to his legs, so, you know, and some of them down to the bone,” Mr Kerle said, “So he’s got a few, like, nicks on his ear.

“When I was leaving, he said, ‘I’d shake your hand, but I don’t know if I still have hands there’. They’re wrapped up under a lot of stuff…he’s been here with the plastic surgeons repairing all the.. sorry, it’s a bit difficult…

“He’s conscious and his spirits are good. Thing about Trevor, he’s, he’s got a lot of, lot of, lot of vibe in him. He was actually trying to see if the nurses could, you know, bring him a little nip of something to drink…

“So his attitude is really good. He is just in a lot of pain at the moment.”