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Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who took over £1.2 million worth of items, among them from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid three houses in spring 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The next evening, the crew broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the consequence if the sum was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the amount outstanding".