Isak Robbers Instructed to Repay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Thefts
Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took over £1.2 million valued of goods, including from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.
Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.
The group of four were jailed for from six and 10 years in 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.
Particulars of the Break-ins
The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.
On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.
The following night, the crew broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.
After scouting out the football club's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, wore gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Court Proceedings and Rulings
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 proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.
But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.
The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the money was not submitted.
Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the sum outstanding".