Isak Robbers Instructed to Pay Only £1 Per Person from £1.2m Thefts
Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million valued of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.
Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.
The foursome were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.
Details of the Burglaries
The judge was told the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and carry out burglaries.
On 31 March they stole over £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were away.
The next evening, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.
Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The gang, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, used gloves and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.
They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.
Legal Proceedings and Rulings
Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.
At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge 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 directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the sum was not paid.
The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the sum outstanding".