Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole over £1.2m valued of items, including from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the group arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they stole over £1m of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the sum due".