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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole over £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to search for targets and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they stole more than £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and footwear worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring burglars, used gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

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

At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

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

The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.

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