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Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million valued of goods, among them from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

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

The group of four were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The court was told the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while using another car to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.

The following night, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.

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