Isak Burglars Ordered to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2m worth of items, among them from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.
Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to burgle three houses in spring 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.
At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The court previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.
On 31 March they stole more than £1m of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at over £100,000.
After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.
The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.
At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the consequence if the sum was not paid.
Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the sum due".