🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who took over £1.2m valued of items, among them from former Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, 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", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".