Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole more than £1.2m valued of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The court was told the group came by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while using another car to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at over £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court was informed, with 14 days to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".