🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million worth of items, including from former Newcastle United forward Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Sentencing

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

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

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

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the sum due".