A prolific car thief who stole more than £171,500 worth of luxury vehicles from homes across Surrey and south London has been jailed.

Liam Carroll, 22, admitted a string of burglaries and vehicle thefts committed between July 2024 and October 2025, during which he broke into homes, stole car keys and drove off in six high-value vehicles.

Appearing at Guildford Crown Court on June 12, Carroll, of Wallington, was sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of theft of a motor vehicle, four counts of burglary and one count of attempted burglary with intent to steal. He was also ordered to pay £228 in costs.

The first burglary took place in Fetcham in July 2024, when Carroll entered a house while the occupants slept and stole the keys to a Mercedes GLB worth more than £30,000. The vehicle was later recovered in Ashtead, while forensic officers found Carroll's fingerprint inside the property.

In September 2024, he burgled a home in Tadworth, stealing a BMW 520D along with wallets containing bank cards and driving licences. Officers examining Carroll's mobile phone later found videos of him driving the stolen BMW and another BMW stolen from Ewell. Both vehicles, worth a combined £23,000, were recovered.

Investigators also linked him to the theft of a BMW 320D worth around £24,500 from Purley, South Croydon, after discovering videos of Carroll posing with the stolen vehicle. It has never been recovered.

Carroll later targeted a home in Sutton, forcing entry by snapping a door lock before stealing a Porsche 911 worth more than £65,000. Although the car was not recovered, officers found the broken door lock during a search of his home.

While on conditional bail, Carroll struck again in October 2025, entering a property in Cheam through unlocked rear doors while the homeowner slept. He stole a BMW i5 Touring M Sport worth more than £23,000, but the vehicle was tracked and recovered after being abandoned in Purley.

Police linked Carroll to each offence using forensic evidence, CCTV footage and analysis of his mobile phone.

PC Joe Brown, who led the investigation, said: "Carroll repeatedly targeted people's homes, stealing vehicles that victims had worked hard to own and leaving them with the lasting impact of having their homes burgled.

"This was a complex investigation involving forensic evidence, CCTV, digital evidence and meticulous investigative work to build a compelling case. Every piece of evidence played an important role in demonstrating the full extent of Carroll's offending.

"We remain committed to pursuing those responsible for acquisitive crime, no matter how determined they are to avoid justice. If you choose to steal from our communities, we will work tirelessly to identify you, gather the evidence and bring you before the courts."