Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Heists

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for between a decade or less in 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the gang arrived by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for properties and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took more than £1m of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the only one of the foursome to contest burglary but was convicted by the jury

The following night, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, turned their phones off as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars stole cash and jewelry valued at £80,000 and an car from footballer Alexander Isak's property

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied 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, lawyer 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 had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

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

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the amount due".

Ronald Cox
Ronald Cox

A storyteller and life coach who shares real-world experiences to empower others in their personal and professional journeys.