Isak Burglars Ordered to Repay Just £1 Per Person from £1.2 Million Heists

Burglary suspects
Giacomo Nikolov admitted their involvement in the burglaries

Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million valued of items, including from former Newcastle United forward Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the gang came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

Valentino Nikolov
Valentino Nikolov was the only one of the foursome to contest burglary but was found guilty by the jury

The next evening, the crew entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, used hand coverings 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 arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Alexander Isak's home
Thieves stole money and jewellery valued at £80,000 and an Audi from then-Newcastle United striker Isak's home

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses 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 found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The other three had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".

Jeffery Shields
Jeffery Shields

A tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering digital transformations and emerging technologies across Europe.