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Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United forward Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

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

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

Details of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard 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 stations while utilizing another car to search for properties and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear valued at over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring burglars, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

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 judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the result if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".