🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2m worth of goods, among them from ex- Newcastle United forward Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court was told the gang came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to search for properties and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of items such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "satisfy the amount due".