Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts
Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who took more than £1.2m worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to raid three houses in spring 2024.
The foursome were jailed for from a decade or less in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.
Details of the Burglaries
The judge previously heard the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out thefts.
On 31 March they stole more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the crew entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, used gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.
Legal Proceedings and Rulings
Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the criminal gains session, lawyer 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 affected parties said they had lost.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.
The other three had no money or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.
The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".