Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists
Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.
Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to burgle three houses in spring 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing 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 judge previously heard the gang arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out thefts.
On 31 March they took more than £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.
The following night, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over one hundred thousand pounds.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.
The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their targets and strapped a license 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 13 April.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had denied 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 hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.
The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not paid.
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 "satisfy the sum outstanding".