Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Heists

Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who stole over £1.2m worth of items, among them from former NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the gang arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to search for properties and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Legal Hearings 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 identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

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