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Members of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took more than £1.2m valued of goods, among them from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

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

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

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and execute thefts.

On 31 March they took over one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 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, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".