Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Heists
Members of an Italian clan of burglars who stole over £1.2 million worth of items, among them from former Newcastle United forward Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.
The group of four were jailed for from a decade or less in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge previously heard the gang arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.
On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of items such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.
The following night, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, wore gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Legal Proceedings and Rulings
Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.
Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum due".