Isak Burglars Ordered to Repay Just £1 Each from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole over £1.2m worth of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

The foursome were jailed for from a decade or less in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Break-ins

The judge was told the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the foursome to deny burglary but was found guilty by jurors

The next evening, the crew entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took cash and jewellery worth £80,000 and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's property

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "satisfy the sum due".

William Jordan
William Jordan

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