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

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2m worth of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the only one of the foursome to deny the charge but was found guilty by the jury

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole money and jewelry worth eighty thousand pounds 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 convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the amount due".

Dakota James
Dakota James

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casino trends and player psychology.