Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to their involvement in the crimes

Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who took over £1.2m valued of goods, including from former NUFC forward Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

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

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

Details of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the foursome to contest the charge but was convicted by the jury

The following night, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars stole cash and jewellery worth £80,000 and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's property

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

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

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate further action to "recover the sum outstanding".

James Palmer
James Palmer

A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their societal impacts.