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Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who took over £1.2 million worth of items, including from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 each.

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

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge was told the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute burglaries.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the crew entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, used gloves and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no money or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "satisfy the sum due".