Isak Robbers Ordered to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts
Members of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took over £1.2 million worth of items, among them from former NUFC forward Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.
The group of four were jailed for between six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The court previously heard the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to scout out properties and execute thefts.
On 31 March they stole more than £1m of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.
The next evening, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.
The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.
Legal Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.
At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the sum was not paid.
The judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".