Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to their involvement in the crimes

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2m valued of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in May 2025.

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

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court was told the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they stole over one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the foursome to contest the charge but was found guilty by the jury

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

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, used gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage 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 stole cash and jewellery worth eighty thousand pounds and an car from footballer Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court was informed, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".

Renee Mitchell
Renee Mitchell

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