Alexander Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2m Thefts

Members of an Italian clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million worth of items, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to raid three houses in spring 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between six and 10 years in 2025.

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they took over one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring burglars, used gloves and masks, switched their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the amount outstanding".