Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Charlie Jovanovic admitted participating in the crimes

Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who took more than £1.2 million valued of goods, including from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

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

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

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court was told the group came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

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

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their targets and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took cash and jewellery valued at eighty thousand pounds and an Audi from footballer Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino 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, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the amount due".

Courtney Lyons
Courtney Lyons

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in casino reviews and strategy development.