Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov confessed to participating in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took over £1.2m worth of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

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

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

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the foursome to contest burglary but was found guilty by the jury

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took cash and jewelry worth £80,000 and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's home

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

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

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount outstanding".

Gregory Mcdaniel
Gregory Mcdaniel

A tech journalist and futurist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and their societal impacts.