Alexander Isak Robbers Instructed to Repay Only £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov admitted their involvement in the crimes

Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.

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

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino was the sole member of the foursome to contest the charge but was found guilty by jurors

The following night, the crew broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring thieves, wore gloves and masks, turned their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole money and jewelry valued at eighty thousand pounds and an car from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's home

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the amount due".

Tiffany Lawrence
Tiffany Lawrence

Elara is a tech enthusiast and business strategist with a passion for innovation and digital transformation.