Alexander Isak Burglars Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts

Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took more than £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.

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

The group of four were imprisoned for between a decade or less in May 2025.

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the group came by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and shoes worth more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their phones off as they approached their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court was informed, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".