Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Heists
Members of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole more than £1.2m valued of items, including from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of the UK to raid three houses in spring 2024.
The foursome were jailed for between six and 10 years in 2025.
At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge was told the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using another car to search for targets and execute thefts.
On March 31 they stole over one million pounds of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.
The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.
Court Hearings and Rulings
Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.
At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.
But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.
The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.
The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example operating Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "recover the sum due".