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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who stole over £1.2 million valued of items, among them from former NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to burgle three houses in spring 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 instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out targets and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.

The following night, the crew entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors 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 elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

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

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".