Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole more than £1.2m worth of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of items including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.

The next evening, the crew broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, 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 experienced touring burglars, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".