Isak Robbers Instructed to Repay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts
Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in April 2024.
The group of four were jailed for between six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge previously heard the group arrived by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.
On 31 March they took more than £1m of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.
The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than £100,000.
After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.
The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, wore gloves and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.
Court Hearings and Rulings
Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary 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 every one of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.
Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".