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Individuals of an Italian clan of burglars who took over £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to raid three houses in spring 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.

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 "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring burglars, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court heard, with 14 days to be served in prison 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 prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount outstanding".