Isak Robbers Instructed to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Members of an Italian clan of burglars who took over £1.2m worth of goods, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east 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 proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.
Details of the Break-ins
The judge was told the gang came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to search for properties and execute burglaries.
On March 31 they stole over £1m of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were away.
The following night, the crew entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over £100,000.
After scouting out the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their phones off as they neared their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.
At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.
The other three had no money or property so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.
The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".