Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists
Members of an Italian family of thieves who took over £1.2m worth of items, including from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to raid three houses in spring 2024.
The foursome were jailed for from six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.
Details of the Burglaries
The court previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties 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 residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.
The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth more than £100,000.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.
Court Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the criminal gains session, lawyer the prosecution 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 victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the sum was not paid.
The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".
