Alexander Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in spring 2024.
The group of four were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.
At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge previously heard the group came by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out properties and carry out thefts.
On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.
The following night, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at over £100,000.
After scouting out the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, used gloves and masks, turned their phones on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Court Hearings and Rulings
Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by 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 previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.
The remaining members had no assets or property 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 Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".