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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who took over £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of England to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant thieves, used gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were ordered to pay 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 assets in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".