Alexander Isak Burglars Ordered to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov admitted participating in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million worth of items, among them from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to raid three houses in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they took more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

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

The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took money and jewelry valued at eighty thousand pounds and an car from footballer Alexander Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the money was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".

Dylan Carter
Dylan Carter

A lighting technology expert with over a decade of experience in smart home automation and sustainable energy solutions.