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Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who took more than £1.2m worth of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her child Charlie journeyed to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between six and 10 years in 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 Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge was told the gang arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they took more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the crew entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones off as they approached their targets and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Court Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains 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 affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the amount due".