Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted participating in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took more than £1.2m valued of goods, including from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group came by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole more than £1m of items such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

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

The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole cash and jewellery valued at eighty thousand pounds and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the sum outstanding".

Jose Garrison
Jose Garrison

A seasoned gambling analyst with over a decade of experience in online casino reviews and player strategy development.