Alexander Isak Robbers Ordered to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists

Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who took more than £1.2 million valued of goods, among them from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.

The group of four were jailed for from six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details 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 stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they stole over one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, used gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "recover the sum outstanding".