A GANG of burglars who raided Newcastle United star Alexander Isak’s home and stole property worth more than £1m from another house are facing jail.
Two men and a woman had already admitted their part in the high value heists in Darras Hall, Jesmond and Whitburn and now family member Valentino Nikolov, 32, has been convicted of conspiracy to burgle.
A judge at Newcastle Crown Court told Nikolov he faces an inevitable custodial sentence when he is sentenced alongside Jela Jovanovic, 42, Giacomo Nikolov, 27 and Charlie Jovanovic, 22, for conspiracy to commit burglary between March 26 and April 5 last year in relation to properties at Clayton Road, Jesmond, Woodlands Grove, Whitburn and Middle Drive, Darras Hall.
Judge Robert Spragg told Nikolov: "I'm going to order a pre-sentence report in your case, which is a report by the probation service about you. The reality is you are facing an immediate custodial sentence for this offence, that’s inevitable.
"However I want to know more about you and I’m arranging for the probation service to prepare a report about you and tell me more about your background."
Following the verdicts, North East Regional Crime Unit (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.”
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583741328/1742367054/articles/4e3SO3mSWlbDqkMtiwsys/AK-c5-13V1742378648104.jpg]
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 Case-work 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.”
As we reported previously, Mr Isak told how he returned home to find his car, expensive jewellery and bags of cash had been stolen. And businesswoman Helen McArdle and her husband lost property worth more than £1m during a raid on their Jesmond house while they were o...
Two men and a woman had already admitted their part in the high value heists in Darras Hall, Jesmond and Whitburn and now family member Valentino Nikolov, 32, has been convicted of conspiracy to burgle.
A judge at Newcastle Crown Court told Nikolov he faces an inevitable custodial sentence when he is sentenced alongside Jela Jovanovic, 42, Giacomo Nikolov, 27 and Charlie Jovanovic, 22, for conspiracy to commit burglary between March 26 and April 5 last year in relation to properties at Clayton Road, Jesmond, Woodlands Grove, Whitburn and Middle Drive, Darras Hall.
Judge Robert Spragg told Nikolov: "I'm going to order a pre-sentence report in your case, which is a report by the probation service about you. The reality is you are facing an immediate custodial sentence for this offence, that’s inevitable.
"However I want to know more about you and I’m arranging for the probation service to prepare a report about you and tell me more about your background."
Following the verdicts, North East Regional Crime Unit (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.”
image [https://cdn.magzter.com/1583741328/1742367054/articles/4e3SO3mSWlbDqkMtiwsys/AK-c5-13V1742378648104.jpg]
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 Case-work 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.”
As we reported previously, Mr Isak told how he returned home to find his car, expensive jewellery and bags of cash had been stolen. And businesswoman Helen McArdle and her husband lost property worth more than £1m during a raid on their Jesmond house while they were o...
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The Chronicle (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 19, 2025