Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted their involvement in the crimes

Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of goods, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to search for properties and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of items including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the group to deny burglary but was found guilty by jurors

The following night, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage 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
Thieves stole cash and jewellery valued at eighty thousand pounds and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's home

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".

Brett Davidson
Brett Davidson

A passionate writer and traveler sharing insights on personal growth and lifestyle from a UK perspective.