🔗 Share this article

Members of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole over £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in May 2025.

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

Details of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to search for properties and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took over £1m of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The following night, the crew entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

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

The other three had no money or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".