🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took more than £1.2m valued of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 each.

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

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

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones off as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".