Alexander Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Just £1 Each from £1.2 Million Heists
Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.
Brothers Valentino Nikolov 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 imprisoned for between six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.
Details of the Break-ins
The court was told the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and execute burglaries.
On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.
The following night, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, valuables and shoes valued at over £100,000.
After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.
The gang, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, used hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.
Court Hearings and Sentencing
Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the criminal gains session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.
But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.
Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".