Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Heists

Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who took more than £1.2 million valued of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 each.

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

The group of four were jailed for from a decade or less in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

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

The following night, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, used gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices off 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 apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".