Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took over £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The court was told the gang came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out targets and carry out burglaries.
On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.
The next evening, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, jewellery and footwear valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.
The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, used hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars 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 Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the money was not paid.
Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum due".