Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted participating in the crimes

Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole more than £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.

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

The group of four were jailed for from six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court was told the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the only one of the foursome to deny the charge but was found guilty by the jury

The next evening, the crew entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and footwear valued at more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

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

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the consequence if the sum was not paid.

The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as operating in Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount due".

Bruce Lynch
Bruce Lynch

A digital strategist with over a decade of experience in tech innovation and data-driven marketing solutions.

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