🔗 Share this article

Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in 2025.

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

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the group came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took over one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, 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", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the result 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 fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum due".