Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took more than £1.2m worth of items, including from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.
The foursome were jailed for from six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.
Details of the Break-ins
The judge previously heard the group arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out burglaries.
On 31 March they stole over £1m of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the gang broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.
The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, 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 found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.
At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in jail if he defaulted.
The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.
Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as operating Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".
