Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Only £1 Each from £1.2m Thefts
Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid three houses in April 2024.
The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in 2025.
At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The judge previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.
On March 31 they stole over £1m of items such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.
The following night, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.
The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, used gloves and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.
Court Proceedings and Sentencing
Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.
At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the money was not paid.
The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum due".