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Individuals of an Italian family of thieves who took more than £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle three houses in April 2024.

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

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and attached 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 on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino 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, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.

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