🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of England to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, used gloves and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Hearings 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 criminal gains session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".