Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2m Heists
Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2m worth of items, among them from former NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to raid three houses in April 2024.
The group of four were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.
Details of the Burglaries
The court previously heard the gang came by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.
On March 31 they stole over £1m of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.
The next evening, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Court Hearings and Rulings
Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The other three had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the money was not submitted.
The judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".