🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

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

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

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court was told the gang came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".