Matthew Foster, William Rogers jailed for stealing two cars from Taren Point home

Two men have been jailed over the brazen theft of two luxury cars which was carried out while the victims slept in their south Sydney home.

Two men were sentenced in Downing Centre District Court.

Two men have been jailed after one of them broke into a south Sydney home and stole a luxury car, before returning only hours later with his mate to steal a second Mercedes, all while the victims slept.

Matthew Foster, 30, and William Rogers, 27, were sentenced to three and two years in jail respectively when they appeared in Downing Centre District Court on Thursday.

Agreed facts tendered to court said the victims, a married couple, owned two Mercedes vehicles – a black 2021 M-AMG and a black 2021 GLG – which were parked in their Taren Point garage on the evening of January 7, last year.

Just before 5am on January 8, Foster was captured on CCTV walking inside the property.

He entered the garage and drove the unlocked GLC out of the property via an automatic driveway gate.

Matthew Foster and William Rogers learnt their fate last week.

The couple were home at the time and Foster also took a Gucci beige handbag, an olive green Mimco wallet which held the woman’s drivers licence, credit card and about $500 in cash.

Foster drove the car to Rogers’ Kirrawee apartment complex and parked it underground.

At 7.18am the same morning, Foster drove the GLC back to the same house and the automated driveway gate opened.

Rogers, who was wearing black gloves and black balaclava, got out of the car and ran down the driveway towards the house.

He entered the garage, got into the M-AMG and drove out of the driveway followed by Foster in the GLC.

The male owner, who works in real estate, had other items stolen including his wallet, drivers licence, personal and business credit cards, Medicare card, up to 14 keys to six real estate offices in the St George area, keys to his Taren Point property and $300 in cash.

The couple, who were home during both thefts, called police that morning.

The owner used the ‘Mercedes Me’ phone app to locate his wife’s car, which was abandoned in Tonbridge St, Ramsgate.

CCTV footage showed both Mercedes vehicles arrived in Tonbridge St shortly before 8am, and Foster got out of the car and into the one driven by Rogers before they drove away.

The men will be eligible for parole in 2024 and 2025.

The court heard videos on Rogers phone depicted him and a female driving in the Mercedes, with images indicating that he attempted to sell the car on January 10.

It also heard that Rogers did not pay for petrol worth $165 and $105 from Menai petrol stations on two occasions, was disqualified from driving and three number plates were found in his Kirrawee home.

Rogers and Foster were both arrested on January 19, last year.

Foster pleaded guilty to aggravated enter a dwelling, knowing people were there, to steal car keys and other items, being an accessory to enter a dwelling knowing people were there with intent to steal a car, stealing a motor vehicle and being an accessory before stealing a car.

Foster also pleaded guilty to possessing six grams of Butanediol, found when police searched his Carlton house.

Rogers pleaded guilty to entering a house knowing people were there, stealing a car, two counts of not paying for petrol, driving while disqualified and possessing an identity plate on the wrong car.

Judge Robert Newlinds said the crimes were serious due to involving repeat entries to the same home, with the victims inside, and the value of the vehicles.

Judge Newlinds noted there must have been a “degree of planning” when Foster organised for Rogers to assist in the second theft.

However he agreed the first theft was “opportunistic”, there was no damage to the property and the victims remained asleep.

The court heard both men had lengthy criminal histories for similar offences and their paroles were revoked.

Judge Newlinds accepted both men were remorseful, had difficult childhoods, mental health conditions and a long history of drug abuse.

Foster was jailed for three years with a non parole period of two years while Rogers was sentenced to two years in jail with a non parole period of one year and 5 months.

Foster will be eligible for release on June 30 2025 and Rogers will be released on July 24 this year.