Alexander Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of goods, including from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge was told the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out properties and execute burglaries.
On March 31 they took over £1m of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.
The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.
The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they approached their objectives 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 had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.
At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.
The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the sum due".