Isak Burglars Instructed to Repay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists

Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who stole over £1.2m valued of goods, including from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 each.

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

The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in May 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they took over £1m of items including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered 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 value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any funds 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 prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".