Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2m worth of items, including from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of England to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.
The foursome were jailed for from six and 10 years in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge was told the group came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out burglaries.
On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were away.
The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, jewellery and footwear valued at over £100,000.
After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Court Hearings and Rulings
Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the criminal gains session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.
The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.
The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".