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Members of an Italian family of thieves who took over £1.2 million worth of items, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed for from 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 pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge was told the gang arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while using another car to scout out properties and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole more than one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, 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 authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the amount due".