Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Heists

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted participating in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who took more than £1.2m worth of items, among them from former Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they took over one million pounds of items such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

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

The next evening, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring thieves, wore gloves and masks, switched their phones on silent as they approached their targets 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 arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

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

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the amount outstanding".

Alyssa Smith
Alyssa Smith

A seasoned business strategist with over 15 years of experience in digital transformation and corporate innovation.