Isak Robbers Instructed to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to participating in the burglaries

Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole over £1.2m worth of items, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

The group of four were jailed for between six and 10 years in 2025.

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic 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 ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they took over £1m of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.

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

The following night, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took cash and jewellery worth eighty thousand pounds and an car 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 three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not paid.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".

Kenneth Hayden
Kenneth Hayden

Lena is a tech enthusiast and software developer with a passion for gaming and digital innovation.