Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2m Heists
Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2m valued of goods, among them from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.
The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The court was told the gang came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using another car to search for properties and execute thefts.
On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.
The following night, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.
The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, wore gloves and face coverings, switched their phones off as they approached their targets and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Legal Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he failed to pay.
The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.
The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as operating Italy in a fast car or owning a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".