Alexander Isak Burglars Ordered to Repay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists

Burglary suspects
Charlie Jovanovic confessed to participating in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million worth of items, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed for from six and 10 years in 2025.

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

Details of the Burglaries

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

On 31 March they took over £1m of goods including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the only one of the foursome to deny burglary but was convicted by the jury

The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth more than £100,000.

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 April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, used gloves and masks, turned their phones on silent as they approached their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole cash and jewelry worth £80,000 and an Audi from footballer Isak's property

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".

Michael Hoffman
Michael Hoffman

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