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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took over £1.2m worth of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle three houses in April 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to scout out targets and execute thefts.

On 31 March they took over £1m of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking £10,000 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 the prosecution as professional itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes 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 sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

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

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".