Alexander Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2m Heists
Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who stole over £1.2 million valued of items, among them from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.
The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.
Details of the Burglaries
The judge previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and carry out burglaries.
On 31 March they took over £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.
The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at over £100,000.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.
The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.
Court Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.
At the criminal gains session, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not paid.
The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".