🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million worth of items, among them from ex- Newcastle United striker Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang arrived by boat 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 execute burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of items such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, used gloves and masks, turned their phones off as they neared their targets and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, 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 defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum 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 property", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".