Isak Robbers Ordered to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists
Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million worth of items, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.
The group of four were imprisoned for between a decade or less in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.
Details of the Burglaries
The judge was told the gang came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out burglaries.
On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.
The next evening, the crew entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The group, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The other three had no money or assets so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.
The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the amount due".