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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole over £1.2 million worth of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the north-east of England to raid three houses in April 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for between a decade or less in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The next evening, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear 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 April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution 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 Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "recover the amount due".