Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov admitted their involvement in the crimes

Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million valued of goods, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for between a decade or less in 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 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 targets and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of items including designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the foursome to deny the charge but was found guilty by jurors

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

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

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

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

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

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the sum outstanding".

Chelsea Vance
Chelsea Vance

A Dubai-based travel writer and luxury lifestyle expert with a passion for uncovering hidden gems and sharing authentic experiences.