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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole over £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the gang arrived by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", 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 directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "recover the amount due".