Alexander Isak Burglars Ordered to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists

Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who took more than £1.2 million valued of items, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court was told the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using another car to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they stole more than £1m of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced touring thieves, wore gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the sum was not paid.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the amount outstanding".