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

Burglary suspects
Charlie Jovanovic admitted their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

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

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

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge was told the gang arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took more than £1m of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

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

The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took cash and jewellery worth eighty thousand pounds and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

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

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "satisfy the amount due".

Brian Rose
Brian Rose

A tech strategist with over a decade of experience in digital innovation and enterprise solutions, passionate about simplifying complex tech concepts.