Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak was the victim of a burglary last April while he was away from his home in Northumberland. A group of burglars broke into his residence, stealing cash, jewellery, and his car. The total value of the stolen items was estimated to be around £68,000 ($87,000), a court in Newcastle heard on Wednesday.
Prosecutors told Newcastle Crown Court that the gang had been involved in other burglaries before targeting Isak’s home. In the days leading up to the break-in, they had already stolen over £1 million worth of jewellery and designer items from a businesswoman and taken an additional £100,000 worth of valuables from another victim.
The group consisted of four individuals, all from the same family and based in Italy. Three of them have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary. However, the fourth suspect, Valentino Nikolov, 32, has denied the charges and is representing himself in court with the help of an Italian interpreter.
Prosecutor Dan Cordey informed the court that Isak had left his house between 4 pm and 10 pm on April 4, only to return and find that burglars had ransacked his home. They reportedly entered through a glass door, breaking into the TV room before searching the entire property.
“They took between £5,000 and £10,000 in cash, jewellery worth around £68,000, and his Audi vehicle, which was later found abandoned,” Cordey told the jury.
The prosecution described the gang as a “professional group of travelling criminals” consisting of two men and one woman who have already admitted their involvement. The three suspects were identified as Giacomo Nikolov, 28, Jela Jovanovic, 43, and her son, Charlie Jovanovic, 23. They, along with Valentino Nikolov, had reportedly entered the UK using a motorhome after traveling via ferry from Calais to Dover in March.
