Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2m Heists
Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who stole over £1.2m worth of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.
The group of four were jailed for between a decade or less in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.
Details of the Burglaries
The judge previously heard the gang came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.
On 31 March they stole more than one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.
The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The group, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.
Legal Proceedings and Rulings
Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.
At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each 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 lost.
But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he defaulted.
The other three had no money or property so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not paid.
Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".