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

Burglary suspects
Charlie Jovanovic admitted their involvement in the burglaries

Members of an Italian family of burglars who took more than £1.2 million valued of goods, including from former Newcastle United forward Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge was told the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service service stations while using another car to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole more than £1m of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

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

The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole cash and jewellery valued at £80,000 and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's property

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted 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 every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by 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 already been seized by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the sum due".

Crystal Webster
Crystal Webster

Lena is a passionate game developer and writer, sharing her love for indie games and interactive storytelling.