Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to their involvement in the crimes

Members of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2m valued of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to search for properties and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

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

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

After scouting out the football club's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole money and jewellery valued at £80,000 and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's property

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

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

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

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

The other three had no money or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could initiate further action to "recover the sum outstanding".

Ashley Andrews
Ashley Andrews

A digital strategist and productivity coach with over a decade of experience helping professionals optimize their workflows and achieve peak performance.

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