Isak Robbers Ordered to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Heists

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to their involvement in the crimes

Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who took more than £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the gang came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

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

The next evening, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took money and jewelry valued at eighty thousand pounds and an car from footballer Isak's home

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains session, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the consequence if the money was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the sum due".

Michelle Holland
Michelle Holland

A seasoned data analyst specializing in probability studies and gambling trends, with over a decade of experience in statistical modeling.