Alexander Isak Robbers Instructed to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists

Burglary suspects
Charlie Jovanovic confessed to their involvement in the crimes

Members of an Italian clan of burglars who stole over £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the only one of the foursome to contest the charge but was found guilty by the jury

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, valuables and shoes valued at over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, used gloves and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets 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 stole money and jewelry worth £80,000 and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's property

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".

Judy Chang
Judy Chang

A passionate gamer and strategy enthusiast with years of experience in competitive gaming and content creation.