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Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million valued of items, including from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid three houses in April 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for between a decade or less in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing 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 Burglaries

The court was told the group 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 service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their phones off as they approached their targets and attached a number 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 on 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

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

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the amount due".