Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Heists

Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in 2025.

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using another car to scout out targets and carry out burglaries.

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

The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the amount 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 funds that could be "recovered", specifically £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 assets or property so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "recover the amount outstanding".