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Members of an Italian clan of burglars who stole over £1.2m valued of items, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

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

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

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The judge was told the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

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

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones off as they approached their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

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

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the amount outstanding".