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Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole more than £1.2m worth of goods, including from former NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the group came by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for properties and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of goods including designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant thieves, wore gloves and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars 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 was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or property so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".