Alexander Isak Burglars Ordered to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.
Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.
The group of four were jailed for from six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.
Details of the Burglaries
The judge previously heard the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and execute thefts.
On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.
The next evening, the crew entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.
The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.
Legal Hearings and Rulings
Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.
At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, 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 "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the money was not submitted.
The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".