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Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who took more than £1.2m worth of items, among them from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.

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

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

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court was told the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using another car to scout out targets and execute thefts.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of goods including designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The next evening, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones off as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted 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 £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum due".