🔗 Share this article

Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard 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 using a separate vehicle to search for properties and carry out thefts.

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

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at over £100,000.

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

The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

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

The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "satisfy the amount due".