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Members of an Italian family of burglars who took more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for properties and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the crew entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, used gloves and masks, turned their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

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 hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no assets or property so were directed to make a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could initiate further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".