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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who took more than £1.2m worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 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 Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court was told the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they stole more than £1m of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones off as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

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

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court was informed, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".