Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Heists

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov admitted their involvement in the crimes

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

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the foursome to deny burglary but was found guilty by jurors

The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they neared their targets and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took money and jewellery worth eighty thousand pounds and an Audi from footballer Isak's home

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov 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 same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

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

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

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the amount due".

Tina Peters
Tina Peters

A seasoned business strategist with over 15 years of experience in corporate innovation and digital transformation.