Alexander Isak Robbers Instructed to Repay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Jela Jovanovic confessed to participating in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who stole over £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

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

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge was told the group came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV 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 execute thefts.

On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

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

The following night, the crew entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described 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 Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves took cash and jewelry valued at £80,000 and an car from footballer Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".

Ashley Jenkins
Ashley Jenkins

Tech enthusiast and lifestyle blogger passionate about integrating innovation into everyday routines.