Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted participating in the burglaries

Members of an Italian clan of burglars who took over £1.2 million worth of items, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

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

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they stole more than £1m of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the only one of the group to deny burglary but was found guilty by the jury

The following night, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at over 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 Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and masks, turned their phones on silent as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took cash and jewellery valued at £80,000 and an car from footballer Isak's home

Court Proceedings and Rulings

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

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or property so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the consequence if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount due".

Tracey Jackson
Tracey Jackson

A life coach and writer passionate about helping others navigate their journeys to success and well-being.