Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole over £1.2m valued of items, among them from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.
Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to burgle three houses in spring 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for from a decade or less in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge previously heard the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and execute thefts.
On March 31 they stole more than £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.
The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and footwear worth more than £100,000.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.
The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, wore gloves and masks, turned their phones off as they approached their targets and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Court Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in jail if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not paid.
Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".