Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who took over £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.
At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.
Particulars of the Burglaries
The court was told the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to search for targets and execute burglaries.
On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.
The following night, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at over £100,000.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.
The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, used gloves and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they neared their targets and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.
They were arrested in the Birmingham area 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 submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.
But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.
The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.
Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".
