Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Charlie Jovanovic admitted their involvement in the burglaries

Members of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of goods, among them from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses in spring 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they stole more than £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the only one of the foursome to deny burglary but was found guilty by jurors

The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole money and jewellery worth £80,000 and an Audi from footballer Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each 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 found to have any funds that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

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

The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the amount due".

John White
John White

A seasoned gaming analyst with over a decade of experience in online casino strategies and player psychology.