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

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole more than £1.2m valued of items, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole more than one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the sole member of the foursome to contest the charge but was convicted by jurors

The following night, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

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

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

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

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims 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 authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the amount due".

Wanda Coleman
Wanda Coleman

A digital artist and graphic designer passionate about creating accessible vector resources for the creative community.