Alexander Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Heists

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to participating in the crimes

Members of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2 million valued of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in May 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 Break-ins

The judge previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods including designer clothing, purses, jewelry 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 the charge but was found guilty by jurors

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and face coverings, turned their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars took money and jewellery worth £80,000 and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's property

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars 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 deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not paid.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".

James Vaughn
James Vaughn

Elena Vance is a seasoned business strategist with over 15 years of experience in corporate consulting and digital transformation.