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

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov confessed to participating in the burglaries

Members of an Italian family of burglars who stole more than £1.2m valued of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed for from six and 10 years in 2025.

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they stole over £1m of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the sole member of the foursome to deny burglary but was convicted by the jury

The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth over £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole money and jewellery worth £80,000 and an car from footballer Alexander Isak's property

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited 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 sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the sum outstanding".

Jamie Hernandez
Jamie Hernandez

A tech entrepreneur and writer with over a decade of experience in digital transformation and startup ecosystems.