🔗 Share this article

Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who stole over £1.2 million valued of items, among them from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England 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 brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they stole more than one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".