Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2m Heists
Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2 million valued of items, among them from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 per person.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.
The foursome were jailed for from six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.
Details of the Break-ins
The judge was told the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute thefts.
On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were away.
The next evening, the crew entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth over £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, Ponteland on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones off as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Court Hearings and Rulings
Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor 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 affected parties said they had lost.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the money was not paid.
Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example operating Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount due".