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 suffered a much worse fate.
The pair’s inept attempt to take Fenech’s luxury car while he slept – after also taking 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 mate Ethan Anthony Ballangarry, 20, were captured on CCTV breaking into the four-time world champion’s home at Five Dock in Sydney’s west.
Once inside the house where Fenech, wife Suzee and daughter Kayla were sleeping, Hartnett and Ballangarry managed to miss the boxer’s Rolex watch which was next to the car keys.
They then tried to use the key to Suzee’s Lexus to open Kayla’s black $100,000 Audi RS3 before turning their attention to Fenech’s white $50,000 Mercedes AMG C63.
On the morning of the botched burglary, Fenech described the incident to 2GB’s Ben Fordham, who suggested that the incompetent intruders had been extremely lucky.
When Fordham questioned what would have happened to the then-unnamed criminals if Fenech had caught them, the retired boxer said he had discussed it with police.
Two thieves have been convicted of attempting to steal Jeff Fenech’s Mercedes. Ethan Ballangarry is seen on CCTV trying to open Fenech’s daughter’s Audi with the key to his wife’s Lexus, as Jerome Hartnett looks on
Ethan Ballangarry and Jerome Hartnett once broke into Fenech’s home 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. ‘I wouldn’t have been any good, that’s for sure. It wouldn’t have been a good ending.’
The man known as the Marrickville Mauler nevertheless said it was “frightening and very frightening” to hear that his sanctuary had been invaded by strangers in the dead of night.
“When I came down, they were in trouble, brother,” Fenech said later. ‘Nobody comes into my house.
‘My wife and daughter are shocked. All this makes me feel sick. It’s scary for my family, and for 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 turning on the engine, but were interrupted by police.
Their arrest shortly afterwards ended a four-hour suburban crime spree that started in nearby Wareemba at around 11.50pm on December 4 last year.
Hartnett headed out that evening 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 the eyes.
Fenech told police he didn’t know what he would have done if he had caught the thieves in his house: ‘I wouldn’t have been good, that’s for sure. It wouldn’t have been a good ending.”
Ballangarry wore a light gray tracksuit, black face covering, strangely colored gloves and black sneakers.
Hartnett and an unknown man were first captured on CCTV jumping a fence in Kirrang Street, Wareemba and walking along the fence to the back of a property.
Two neighbors saw Hartnett, Ballangarry and their companion and one of them chased the unknown man into the street.
The would-be thief got into a black Holden Cruze driven by a fourth man, who accelerated into the neighbor’s car and punched him on the elbow as he used his phone to film the fleeing perpetrators.
At 12.31pm, Hartnett and Ballangarry were again caught on CCTV pulling into the driveway of a house on McGrath Avenue, Five Dock, before quickly leaving.
At 3:18 a.m., Hartnett was filmed smashing the front passenger window of an Audi A4 station wagon and removing items from the vehicle.
Hartnett and Ballangarry were then filmed looking through the items taken from the Audi and putting some of the goods into their pockets.
Their loot included 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 daughter Kayla’s Audi, which was parked in the driveway, with the Lexus key
The pair walked up a side path, through a gate, and broke into the house through a laundry window while Fenech and his family slept upstairs.
The next stop was Fenech’s house, also in Five Dock, which Hartnett and Ballangarry were captured on CCTV approaching at 4am.
The pair walked up a side path, through a gate, and broke into the house through a laundry window while Fenech and his family were sleeping upstairs.
Hartnett and Ballangarry stole the keys to the three Fenech vehicles from the dining room table and then tried unsuccessfully to open Kayla’s Audi, which was parked in the driveway, with the Lexus key.
At 4.20 am the burglars were filmed breaking into Fenech’s Mercedes on the street in front of his house, where they were seen by the police.
Two officers chased Hartnett and another two caught Ballangarry.
Another stupid (or brave) thief broke into Fenech’s home in 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 burglar slipped through the kitchen window at around 2.30am.
That time, the thief also lost out on $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 for me too, it’s not good. They’re idiots.’ He is pictured with wife Suzee and daughter Kayla
Fenech is considered by most good judges to be Australia’s greatest boxer, with world titles in four weight classes. He is depicted in his first battle 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 of car theft, burglary, damaging property and theft, and two counts of entering land with intent to commit an indictable offence.
Ballangarry pleaded guilty to the same set of charges and that he had a knife in his custody.
On December 10, Hartnett was sentenced at Burwood Local Court to an intensive corrections order lasting two years and eight months.
As part of that order, Hartnett will be required to perform 300 hours of community service.
Ballangarry was fined $1,400 and given a community corrections order for the next 30 months.
Fenech is considered by most good judges to be Australia’s greatest boxer, with world titles in four weight classes.
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, who was 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 first controversial draw against Azumah Nelson a victory.
The 1984 Los Angeles Olympian was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2002 and trained former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
He returned to the ring in 2008 as a 44-year-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.