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

Burglary suspects
Charlie Jovanovic confessed to participating in the burglaries

Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The group of four were jailed for from a decade or less in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using another car to scout out targets and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

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

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took cash and jewellery worth eighty thousand pounds and an Audi from footballer Alexander Isak's property

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not paid.

The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the amount outstanding".

Patrick Wright
Patrick Wright

Elena Moss is a seasoned online gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in the iGaming industry.