Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted participating in the crimes

Members of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of items, including from former Newcastle United forward Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

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

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

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the group to contest burglary but was convicted by the jury

The next evening, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took cash and jewelry worth eighty thousand pounds and an car from footballer Alexander Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were directed to make a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum due".

Sarah Taylor
Sarah Taylor

A seasoned gaming journalist with a passion for exploring indie titles and sharing insights on the latest industry trends.