Matthew McKellar, 21, of Bundarra Place, was convicted of stealing the car after he and a co-accused Dwayne Whiteman broke into a house and stole a woman's wallet and keys.

According to police, the men removed a fly screen to climb through the open kitchen window of a home in Glenroi Avenue about 2.15am on December 11.

The victim woke up at 2.21am when she heard her Ford Falcon sedan being driven away.

The men and car were captured on CCTV at a service station on Bathurst Road four minutes later, where the co-accused paid for fuel with money suspected to come from the victim's wallet.

Police saw the car and unsuccessfully tried to stop it and at 5.35am the car was found on fire at Cootes Park.

McKellar was arrested for another matter on March 20, 2019, and when questioned said he had been affected by drugs and didn't recall the offences.

Solicitor Lucien Gration said the break and enter was unsophisticated, opportunistic and the men were caught on CCTV which enabled police to track them down quickly.

Read more court and crime news here.

"These are serious and prevalent offences in the Orange community," Mr Gration said.

He said McKellar's criminal record was one of the longest he had seen for a 21-year-old.

Mr Gration said McKellar had an underprivileged background and was exposed to domestic violence and witnessed substance abuse as a child then started using drugs including methamphetamine and heroin after his father died when he was 13.

Mr Gration said the men's involvement and backgrounds were on par with the only difference being that McKellar entered an earlier guilty plea.

Whiteman was previously given a total jail sentence of three years and six months for break and enter and being carried in a stolen car, after he pleaded guilty on the day of his hearing.

Magistrate David Day gave McKellar a 15 per cent discount upon sentencing due to his early plea and he also took into account his age and need for community-based drug rehabilitation.

"He has not had the best upbringing," Mr Day said.

However, he said there was also a need for Mr McKellar to be punished and be held accountable for his actions.

"This year I note there was a series of cars being stolen and subject to destruction by fire, it was a real concern, everybody was aware of it," Mr Day said.

Mr Day gave him a total sentence of two years and one months with 15 months to be served without parole until November 13, 2020, but he will remain in custody until December 2, 2020, after his parole was revoked for another matter.