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Members of an Italian family of thieves who stole over £1.2m valued of items, among them from ex- Newcastle United striker Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took over one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

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

The other three had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".