Footballer's Mansion Targeted in Daring Raid
A family of Italian burglars who stole nearly £200,000 worth of goods from Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak's Northumberland mansion have been ordered to pay back a mere £1 each. The shocking ruling came after a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court revealed the criminals had no money or assets to confiscate.
The gang, consisting of brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic, broke into Isak's home in the exclusive Darras Hall area in April 2024. During the raid, they made off with £10,000 in cash, jewellery valued at £68,000, and the footballer's Audi RS6 car worth £120,000.
Nationwide Crime Spree Uncovered
Police investigations revealed this was just one incident in a coordinated crime wave across northern England. The Italian nationals had arrived in the UK via ferry from Calais to Dover in March, travelling in a Citroen C3 and a Ford motorhome before heading to London and then northeast England.
Their crime spree began on March 31, 2023, when they stole upwards of £1 million worth of goods from a property in Jesmond, Newcastle while homeowners Helen and Michael McCardle were on holiday. The haul included a CBE medal, expensive clothes, jewellery, gold coins and designer handbags.
The very next day, on April 1, the gang targeted another home in Whitburn, South Tyneside, escaping with designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at over £100,000.
Minimum Repayment Orders Cause Outrage
All four burglars were sentenced to prison terms ranging between six and ten years in May this year. However, the recent confiscation hearing produced astonishing results. The Nikolov brothers and their sister were each ordered to repay just £1 because investigators found they possessed no recoverable assets.
Charlie Jovanovic was the only member required to pay a slightly higher amount of £1,135, which the court determined he could afford. Judge Robert Spragg noted that should any assets be discovered in the future, prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to recover the outstanding amounts.
The stolen vehicle from Isak's property was later found abandoned in Dissington. The organised crime group was eventually arrested on April 13, 2024 near Birmingham, bringing their two-week burglary campaign to an end.
