Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Repay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Heists

Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the group arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at over £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".