Valentino Nikolov, Giacomo Nikolov, Jela Jovanovic and Charlie Jovanovic targeted North East homes in a high value heist
Valentino Nikolov, Giacomo Nikolov, Jela Jovanovic and Charlie Jovanovic targeted North East homes in a high value heist
Valentino Nikolov, Giacomo Nikolov, Jela Jovanovic and Charlie Jovanovic targeted North East homes in a high value heist
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A gang of burglars who targeted Liverpool striker Alexander Isak made £1.2m in a series of "high value" heists. The four Italian nationals must pay back just £1,100 and were jailed for a total of more than 30 years after they targeting three North East homes.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how they'd spent hours in the vicinity of the Magpies' Benton training ground in reconnaissance missions to work out the now-Liverpool player's movements. When they were arrested, police also found pictures of the footballer on a mobile phone seized from one of the gang.
Family members Valentino Nikolov, Charlie Jovanovic, Jela Jovanovic and Giacomo Nikolov were all locked up for conspiracy to burgle which also saw them target award-winning Newcastle charity boss Helen McArdle, reports ChronicleLive.
They have now been back in court for proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Prosecutor Dan Cordey told the court the total benefit figure of their crimes was £1,266,285.93p. The only "available assets" they have is £1,135.50p seized by police when they were arrested.
Charlie Jovanovic was ordered to pay that amount back while Valentino Nikolov, Jela Jovanovic and Giacomo Nikolov were said to have benefited to the same amount but as they have no assets they must pay back just a nominal £1, unless they come into money in the future.
During the trial, Mr Cordey said: "They are all Italian nationals. The prosecution say they are part of an organised professional gang who travelled to the UK for the purpose of committing carefully planned burglaries, specifically targeting high value properties.
Alexander Isak looks on during Eintracht Frankfurt vs Liverpool.
Liverpool forward Alexander Isak.(Image: Max Maiwald/DeFodi via Getty Images)
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"The burgled houses were targeted, as evidenced by the type of items stolen and in particular their attendance near the Newcastle United training ground before the burglary of a Newcastle United player's home, together with saved images on mobile phones that were recovered showing an interest in these kind of properties and in particular high value goods and designer handbags."
Mr Cordey said the day before the raid at Mr Isak's home and the day of the burglary, a Citroen C3 used by the gang was near the Newcastle United training ground "over the course of a number of hours on each day".
He said: "That was clear evidence of surveillance being carried out to either establish movements to and from the training ground." He said that they were trying to establish where players went after leaving training and going home. Mr Cordey added: "The evidence shows the defendants were forensically aware.
"They took steps to cover their movements, including exchanging vehicle number plates and switching off their mobile phones or at least putting them into a mode where they couldn't be traced when in the vicinity of the burgled properties.
"While committing the burglaries they wore gloves and masks in order to conceal their identities and leave no traces of their DNA or fingerprints."
The first break-in, at the home of Helen and Michael McArdle, in Jesmond, happened on March 31 2024. The house, set in private grounds, had been left locked and secured while they were on holiday.
The three masked men - female Jela Jovanovic was the driver in all of the offences - broke in through a first floor patio window and carried out an "untidy search" inside. They stole items worth more than £1 million, including a safe containing a CBE medal and gold coins, high value watches, designer clothing, jewellery, including diamond rings, and numerous handbags.
On April 1, they broke into a home belonging to a single mum in a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside. When she returned home with her children two days later, she discovered the burglary. They stole items, including designer handbags, jewellery and shoes, worth more than £100,000, and the victim said her wardrobe had been "trashed".
Then, on April 4, they broke into Mr Isak's home in Darras Hall, which he had left unoccupied between 4pm and 10pm. He returned to find his bins had been moved and entry had been gained by smashing a glass door leading from the back of the house to a TV room.
Inside, they carried out an untidy search and stole between £5,000 and £10,000 of cash and jewellery worth £68,000. They also took an empty safe which had been left by the previous occupant and the keys to Mr Isak's Audi car, which was also stolen and later found abandoned and damaged.
Footage from a "doggy cam" inside his home showed the three men in his living room wearing masks. Giacomo Nikolov was identified by the distinctive tracksuit bottoms he was wearing, which had a PSG logo on them.
When the raiders were later arrested, images of Mr Isak playing football, created on April 5, were recovered on a seized mobile phone. Valentino Nikolov was convicted after a trial of conspiracy to burgle and the other three pleaded guilty to it.
Judge Robert Spragg said the fact their Citroen car was near the Newcastle United training ground for hours was "clear evidence of surveillance taking place". He added: "You travelled from Italy specifically to carry out these burglaries as part of an organised criminal family group.
"You had clearly carefully researched and targeted your victims. It was sophisticated and planned offending. The property take was of high value, more than £1.3 million, as well as being of sentimental value."
The judge said deportation is automatic for foreign nationals jailed for more than 12 months but said that is for the Home Office and not the court to determine.
Valentino Nikolov, 32, who has a previous conviction for a similar offence in Switzerland, was jailed for ten years. Charlie Jovanovic, 22, who has a previous conviction for similar offending in Switzerland, was jailed for six years and nine months.
Jela Jovanovic, 43, who has previous for theft and fraud from several years ago, was jailed for seven years and two months. Giacomo Nikolov, 28, who has previous for thefts in Italy, was jailed for eight years.
Defence barristers said the burglars were remorseful for the effect their crimes had on victims.