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

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov confessed to their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who stole over £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between 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 pay back £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.

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

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the group to contest the charge but was found guilty by jurors

The following night, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole cash and jewellery valued at £80,000 and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's property

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "recover the sum due".

Robin Terry
Robin Terry

A tech journalist and digital lifestyle enthusiast with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and consumer electronics trends.