Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists
Members of an Italian clan of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to raid three houses in April 2024.
The foursome were jailed for from six and 10 years in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.
Particulars of the Burglaries
The judge was told the gang came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.
On March 31 they stole more than £1m of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds 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 touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.
Legal Proceedings and Rulings
Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the only one found to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he defaulted.
The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not submitted.
Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".