Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2m Heists
Members of an Italian family of burglars who stole more than £1.2m worth of items, including from former NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.
Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern 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 criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Burglaries
The court previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using another car to scout out targets and execute burglaries.
On March 31 they took more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.
The following night, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth over £100,000.
Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, 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 face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Legal Hearings and Rulings
Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.
The other three had no money or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in prison the consequence if the sum was not paid.
Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum due".
