Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who stole over £1.2 million valued of goods, among them from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service 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 high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the sole member of the group to deny the charge but was convicted by jurors

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took cash and jewellery valued at eighty thousand pounds and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's property

Court Hearings and Rulings

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

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 outstanding".

Sean Turner
Sean Turner

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casino reviews and strategy development.