EXCLUSIVE
Two bumbling thieves who tried to steal boxing legend Jeff Fenech's Mercedes have been convicted of a string of crimes – but could have faced a much worse fate.
The couple's inept attempt to seize Fenech's luxury vehicle while he slept – after also snatching the keys to his wife's Lexus and his daughter's Audi – was a debacle from start to finish.
Jerome Albert Hartnett, 29, and his partner Ethan Anthony Ballangarry, 20, were captured on CCTV breaking into the four-time world champion's home in Five Dock, in Sydney's inner west.
Once inside the house where Fenech, his wife Suzee and daughter Kayla were sleeping, Hartnett and Ballangarry managed to overlook the boxer's Rolex watch that was near the car keys.
They then attempted to use Suzee's Lexus key to unlock Kayla's $100,000 black Audi RS3 before turning their attention to Fenech's $50,000 white Mercedes AMG C63.
On the morning of the botched robbery, Fenech described the incident to 2GB's Ben Fordham, who suggested that the incompetent intruders had been very lucky.
When Fordham wondered what would have happened to the then-unnamed criminals if Fenech had caught them, the retired boxer said he had discussed that with police.
Two thieves have been convicted of trying to steal Jeff Fenech's Mercedes. Ethan Ballangarry appears on CCTV trying to open Fenech's daughter's Audi with the key to his wife's Lexus as Jerome Hartnett watches.
Ethan Ballangarry and Jerome Hartnett once broke into Fenech's house in Five Dock while he and his family were sleeping and then tried to steal his Mercedes AGM C63 (above)
“I said, 'Who knows what would have happened,'” Fenech told Fordham. 'It wouldn't have been good, that's for sure. It wouldn't have been a good ending.
However, the man known as Marrickville Mauler said finding out his home sanctuary had been invaded by strangers in the dead of night was “terrifying and very frightening”.
“If he went down, they were in trouble, brother,” Fenech said later. 'No one comes into my house.
'My wife and daughter are shocked. All this makes me feel bad. It's scary for my family and me too. It's not good. They're idiots.'
Hartnett, who also uses the surname Kelly, and Ballangarry, both from Marrickville, were filmed breaking into Fenech's Mercedes and then starting the engine, but were disturbed by police.
His capture shortly afterwards brought an end to a four-hour suburban crime spree that had begun in nearby Wareemba around 11.50pm on December 4 last year.
Hartnett went out that night wearing black sweatpants, a black Everlast hoodie over a khaki shirt, black gloves, a black cap, and a black and white bandana that covered his face just below his eyes.
Fenech told police he didn't know what he would have done if he had caught the thieves inside his house: “It wouldn't have been good, that's for sure.” It wouldn't have been a good ending.
Ballangarry was wearing a light gray tracksuit, a black face mask, oddly colored gloves and black trainers.
Hartnett and an unidentified man were first captured on CCTV jumping a fence in Kirrang Street, Wareemba and walking along the fence to the rear of a property.
Two neighbors saw Hartnett, Ballangarry and their partner and one of them chased the unidentified man up the street.
The would-be thief got into a black Holden Cruze driven by a fourth man who sped towards the neighbor and hit him on the elbow while using his phone to film the fleeing criminals.
At 12.31am, Hartnett and Ballangarry were again captured on CCTV entering the driveway of a house in McGrath Avenue, Five Dock, before quickly leaving.
At 3.18am, Hartnett was filmed smashing the front passenger window of an Audi A4 van and removing items from the vehicle.
Hartnett and Ballangarry were then filmed going through the items taken from the Audi and putting some of them in their pockets.
Her haul was a pair of Prada sunglasses worth $500, Hermes sandals worth $2,600 and a pair of Paspaley pearl earrings worth $5,700.
Hartnett and Ballangarry stole the keys to the three Fenech vehicles and then tried unsuccessfully to open their daughter Kayla's Audi, which was parked in the driveway, with the Lexus key.
The couple walked down a side road, through a gate and into the house through a laundry room window while Fenech and his family slept upstairs.
The next stop was Fenech's home, also in Five Dock, where Hartnett and Ballangarry were captured on CCTV approaching at 4am.
The couple walked down a side road, through a gate and into the house through a laundry room window while Fenech and his family slept upstairs.
Hartnett and Ballangarry stole the keys to the three Fenech vehicles from the dining room table and then unsuccessfully attempted to open Kayla's Audi, which was parked in the driveway, with the key to the Lexus.
At 4.20am, the thieves were filmed breaking into Fenech's Mercedes in the street in front of his house, where they were seen by police.
Two officers chased Hartnett and two others caught Ballangarry.
Another stupid (or brave) burglar broke into Fenech's home under remarkably similar circumstances and stole cash, credit cards, a camera and jewelry in June 2010.
On that occasion, Fenech, his wife and two daughters were sleeping upstairs when a thief broke in through the kitchen window around 3:30 in the morning.
This time the thief also lost $5,000 and two watches worth $35,000.
“My wife and daughter are shocked,” Fenech said of the incident. 'It's scary for my family and me too, it's not good. They're idiots.' He is pictured with his wife Suzee and daughter Kayla.
Most good judges consider Fenech to have been Australia's greatest boxer, having won world titles in four weight divisions. He is pictured in his first fight with Azumah Nelson.
Months earlier, some of Fenech's boxing memorabilia had gone missing from the same house and been put up for sale in Kings Cross nightclubs.
Hartnett pleaded guilty in October to one count each of car theft, burglary, property damage and theft, and two counts of entering onto land with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Ballangarry pleaded guilty to the same set of charges and to having a knife in custody.
On December 10 at Burwood Local Court, Hartnett was sentenced to an intensive corrections order which will last two years and eight months.
As part of that order, Hartnett must complete 300 hours of community service.
Ballangarry was fined $1,400 and given a community corrections order for the next 30 months.
Most good judges consider Fenech to have been Australia's greatest boxer, having won world titles in four weight divisions.
He held the IBF bantamweight belt from 1985 to 1987, the WBC super bantamweight title from 1987 to 1988, and was WBC featherweight champion from 1988 to 1990.
The 60-year-old, trained by Johnny Lewis, retired in 1996 with a record of 28 wins (21 by knockout), three losses and one draw.
In 2022, Fenech was awarded the WBC super featherweight title for 1991 after the sanctioning body declared his controversially drawn first fight against Azumah Nelson a victory.
The 1984 Los Angeles Olympian was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002 and went on to train former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
He returned to the ring in 2008 when he was 44 years old for a rematch with Ghanaian great Nelson, who had knocked him out in their second fight in 1992, with Fenech winning by majority decision.