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

Burglary suspects
Charlie Jovanovic admitted participating in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2m worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.

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

The foursome were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

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

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

The following night, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, used gloves and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took money and jewelry worth £80,000 and an car from footballer Isak's home

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

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

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or property so were directed to make a token amount of £1 per person, 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 coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".

Wayne Johnson
Wayne Johnson

Elara is a seasoned adventurer and travel writer with a passion for exploring remote landscapes and sharing sustainable travel insights.