Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2m Thefts

Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle 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 proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using another car to search for properties and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, wore gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value 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", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or property so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount due".