Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2m Heists

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov admitted participating in the crimes

Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who took over £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

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

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

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

Details of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service service stations while using another car to scout out targets and carry out burglaries.

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

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the sole member of the group to deny burglary but was found guilty by jurors

The following night, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, wore gloves and masks, turned their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars stole money and jewelry worth eighty thousand pounds and an car from footballer Alexander Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 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 remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".

Donald Grant
Donald Grant

Maya is a digital strategist with over a decade of experience in tech innovation and business development across Europe.