🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole over £1.2m worth of items, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the gang arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they stole over £1m of items such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, used gloves and face coverings, turned their mobile devices on silent as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

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

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum due".