Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts

Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who took over £1.2 million worth of items, among them from former Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for between a decade or less in 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle 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 residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the crew entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at over £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced touring burglars, used gloves and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their targets and attached a license plate, which had been taken 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.

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the amount outstanding".