🔗 Share this article

Members of an Italian clan of thieves who stole over £1.2m worth of items, including from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they stole over £1m of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the crew entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, used gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".