Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov confessed to their involvement in the crimes

Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who stole over £1.2m worth of goods, including from former NUFC forward Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to search for targets and execute thefts.

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

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the only one of the group to contest burglary but was found guilty by the jury

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their phones on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole money and jewelry worth £80,000 and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's property

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations 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 amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "such as operating Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".

Kimberly Brown
Kimberly Brown

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