Alexander Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts
Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of items, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for between a decade or less in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge previously heard the group arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and execute thefts.
On 31 March they took over £1m of goods including designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street 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 luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.
Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones off as they approached their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.
Legal Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, 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 "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.
The remaining members had no assets or assets 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.
The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount outstanding".