Isak Robbers Ordered to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2m Heists

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic admitted participating in the burglaries

Members of an Italian clan of thieves who stole over £1.2m worth of items, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

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

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

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

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

The next evening, the crew entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took money and jewellery valued at £80,000 and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's home

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

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

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

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as operating Italy in a fast car or owning a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the amount outstanding".

Maria Davis
Maria Davis

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