🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole over £1.2 million valued of goods, including from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed 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 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the crew entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, turned their phones on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited 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 sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the amount due".