Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2m Heists
Members of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2m valued of goods, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.
Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to raid multiple homes in April 2024.
The group of four were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.
At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge was told the gang arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute thefts.
On 31 March they took over £1m of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the gang broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.
Court Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.
At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court was informed, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.
The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the money was not paid.
The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount due".
