Isak Burglars Ordered to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov admitted their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole more than £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses 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 instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

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

On March 31 they stole more than £1m of goods including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the sole member of the foursome to contest burglary but was found guilty by jurors

The next evening, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Burglars stole cash and jewellery worth £80,000 and an car from footballer Isak's home

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants 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 only one found to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".

Alvin Washington
Alvin Washington

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