Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists
Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole more than £1.2m valued of items, among them from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to raid multiple homes in April 2024.
The group of four were jailed for from a decade or less in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.
Particulars of the Burglaries
The court previously heard the gang came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.
On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the crew entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.
After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring burglars, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.
Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".