Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts
Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who stole more than £1.2m worth of goods, among them from ex- Newcastle United forward Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.
The foursome were jailed for from six and 10 years in 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 Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.
Details of the Burglaries
The court previously heard the group arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out burglaries.
On March 31 they stole over £1m of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.
The following night, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.
The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, used hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.
But Charlie was the only one found to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he defaulted.
The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not submitted.
Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".