Online Reporter
TWO burglars behind a raid on Alexander Isak’s mansion have been jailed for targeting other Premier League stars.
Valentino Nikolov, 34, and his nephew Charlie Jovanovic, 24, travelled from Italy to the UK and researched social media and training grounds.
The raiders then struck at the homes of Neil Etheridge, Matheus Cunha and Leon Bailey while they were playing away matches.
The raiders were equipped with masks, head torches, gloves and even chemical spray to subdue the owners’ dogs. Newcastle Crown Court heard up to £500,00 worth of designer clothes and jewellery were taken from Cunha’s property and around £15,000 from Etheridge’s home.
The raiders left Bailey’s address without stealing anything after police were alerted by a security system. Nikolov and Jovanovic are already behind bars for similar raids at affluent homes, including Isak’s mansion in Newcastle in April 2024, where £68,000 bespoke jewellery and £10,000 cash was taken.
Jovanavic, who is currently serving six years and nine months, got an extra two years and four months.
Nikolov is already serving a ten year sentence and has today been given an extra year fours and four months. Both men, who admitted conspiracy to burgle, now face deportation.
The court heard the pair carried out the raids in the Midlands over the festive period in 2023 – before the break-ins in the North East.
Prosecutor Anne Richardson said: “They targeted wealthy, professional footballers in Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Each was professionally planned by this organised crime group, who travelled from Italy with this specific purpose.”
Etheridge’s home was targeted on December 26, 2023, while he was away playing for Birmingham City and his wife was out.
She was alerted to the break-in by an internal baby monitor, which showed a figure in a bedroom at their home. The police were called and the burglars were caught on CCTV wearing masks and carrying torches.
Ms Richardson said: “It seems a chemical had been sprayed on their dogs because it affected the occupants breathing when they returned home.” Designer clothing, a Rolex watch and jewellery, worth a total of £15,000 were taken by the raiders.
Just days earlier, Etheridge had noticed people seemed to be following him as he left a restaurant. Man Utd star Cunha was targeted while he was playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
His wife returned home to find one of their dogs running loose in the garden with between £350,000 and £500,000 worth of designer clothing, handbags and jewellery missing.
Leon Bailey was raided on New Year’s Eve 2023 while playing away for Aston Villa.
Fortunately, his security system raised an alert that there were two males in dark clothing, wearing gloves and face masks, trying to enter his home.
The police were contacted and the raiders left empty handed.
Judge Robert Spragg told them: “You travelled from abroad to carry out the burglaries as part of an organised criminal family group.
“You had clearly carefully researched and targeted your victims. These were sophisticated and planned offences with gloves, torches, disguises and spray for dogs.”
The judge said police investigators liaised with the Italian authorities to link the burglars to the other raids and added: “The message sent by the police is if you travel to this country to commit offences of this type you will be caught and you will be put before the courts.” – Sun
