Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who took over £1.2m valued of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.
Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.
At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.
Particulars of the Burglaries
The judge previously heard the gang came by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute thefts.
On March 31 they took over one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.
The following night, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr 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 gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Legal Hearings and Rulings
Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.
At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.
The other three had no money or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not paid.
The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the amount outstanding".