Thief who broke into Alexander Isak's Darras Hall home convicted

A man, who joined three family members in stealing the sports car, jewellery and cash of Newcastle star Alexander Isak, has been found guilty of conspiracy to commit burglary.

3\2 year old Valentine Nikolov, from Birmingham, had denied the charges but was convicted today at Newcastle Crown Court.

The other three family members, who live in Italy, admitted the charge previously.

The Newcastle United and Sweden striker, who helped his side win the Carabao Cup at the weekend, was not in his house when what the prosecution described as a "professional group of travelling burglars" broke in through a glass door last April.

The thieves had already stolen jewellery and clothes worth more than £1 million and the CBE medal belonging to Tyneside businesswoman Helen McArdle, and designer goods worth £100,000 from a woman in Whitburn, Sunderland, in the previous days.

Judge Robert Spragg said he will sentence the group later.

Dan Cordey, prosecuting, told jurors how Isak left his home in Darras Hall, Northumberland, between 4pm and 10pm on April 4, and he discovered the break-in when he returned and saw his bins had been moved.

The gang broke into his TV room and "inside an untidy search took place", Mr Cordey said.

Isak told detectives that he kept cash in bags upstairs, made up of notes of varying denominations as well as coins, and the amount taken was between £5,000 and £10,000.

He said bespoke men's jewellery from Frost of London worth about £68,000 - made up of bracelets, necklaces and rings - was taken, along with his Audi RS6 estate car.

Jurors heard a member of the public later found the car abandoned and called the police.

The gang also took a safe, which had been left by the home's previous tenant, although it did not contain anything valuable, Mr Cordey said.

Isak told police he had never used the safe and he had not been able to open it.

CCTV images of the break-in were recorded on what Mr Cordey described as a "doggy cam".

The prosecution said: "This was a professional group of travelling burglars.

"It contained one female and three men - all related.

"Two of those men and one female have admitted their part in pleading guilty."

Mr Cordey said the fourth man was the defendant Valentino Nikolov.

The gang arrived in the UK via a ferry from Calais to Dover in a Citroen C3 and a Ford motorhome last March.

They headed to London then drove to the North East a few days later, the court has heard.

The gang used the Citroen to travel to break-ins and the motorhome was a base where they slept.

Nikolov, of Tew Park Road, Birmingham, represented himself and used an Italian interpreter.

His brother Giacomo Nikolov, 28, his sister Jela Jovanovic, 43, and her son Charlie Jovanovic, 23, who all reside in Italy, will be sentenced along with him for conspiracy to commit burglary.

Safet Ramic, who is the 58-year-old father of Valentino Nikolov's former partner, and who is from Winson Street, Birmingham, was cleared of a single charge of handling stolen goods.

Following the sentencing, NEROCU Detective Constable Mark Armstrong, said: “This is a fantastic result, which has been the outcome of an incredibly complex and comprehensive police investigation by several police partners. Burglaries are an insidious crime and causes a great amount of emotional and financial trauma to victims.”

NEROCU Detective Inspector Shaun Fordy said: “This is just the latest example of the work being done as part of Operation Sentinel – our region wide approach to tackling Serious and Organised Crime.

“I want to praise the efforts of all our partners, and the teams involved. We will continue to pursue those criminals who target our communities, and we will bring them before the Courts.

“We also want to encourage people to continue to remain vigilant by locking doors and windows and report any suspicious behaviour or criminal activity in their community.”

Christopher Atkinson, Head of CPS North East’s Complex Casework Unit, said: “The Crown Prosecution Service has worked closely with the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit throughout this complex investigation.

“It is testament to the quality of that investigation, especially the effective partnership work between multiple police forces, that we have been provided with such a significant amount of evidence. This has enabled us to build a particularly robust prosecution case, which has been instrumental in securing convictions against those responsible for these offences.”

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