Isak Robbers Ordered to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Thefts
Members of an Italian family of thieves who took over £1.2 million worth of items, including from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.
The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in May 2025.
At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.
Particulars of the Burglaries
The judge was told the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to search for properties and carry out thefts.
On March 31 they took over £1m of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.
The following night, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at more than £100,000.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their phones off as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.
Legal Proceedings and Rulings
Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.
The remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.
Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the sum due".
