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Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who took more than £1.2m valued of items, among them from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in April 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 brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole over £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, jewellery and footwear worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced touring burglars, used hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and attached 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 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars 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 Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no assets or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the sum due".