Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2m Thefts
Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million valued of items, among them from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.
Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.
The group of four were jailed for between a decade or less in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the 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 boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.
On 31 March they stole more than £1m of items including designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.
The next evening, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, jewellery and footwear valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.
The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring burglars, used hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their targets and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Legal Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the only one found to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the sum was not submitted.
The judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the sum due".