Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted participating in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole over £1.2m worth of items, among them from former Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.

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

The group of four were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to search for targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the group to deny the charge but was convicted by the jury

The following night, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, 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 Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took money and jewellery worth eighty thousand pounds and an car from footballer Alexander Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

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

Michelle Jackson
Michelle Jackson

Rafael is a passionate gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in the Portuguese betting industry, specializing in strategy development.