Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2m Heists

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to participating in the crimes

Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who took more than £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.

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

Details of the Burglaries

The court was told the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took more than £1m of items including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the only one of the foursome to contest burglary but was found guilty by jurors

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole money and jewelry worth £80,000 and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's property

Court Hearings and Rulings

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

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or property so were directed to make a token amount 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 coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount due".

John Velasquez
John Velasquez

A seasoned casino gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in slot machine mechanics and player strategy development.