🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole over £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

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

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

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute thefts.

On March 31 they stole more than £1m of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Hearings 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 hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, 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", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the court heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not paid.

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