Isak Burglars Ordered to Repay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to participating in the crimes

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2m valued of goods, among them from former Newcastle United forward Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The group of four were jailed for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

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

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

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

The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, jewellery and footwear valued at over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they approached their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took money and jewellery worth £80,000 and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's home

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

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

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the amount outstanding".

Linda Mercado
Linda Mercado

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casinos, specializing in slot machine strategies and player safety.