Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts

Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million valued of items, among them from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of items including designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced touring thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their phones off as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".