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Members of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2 million valued of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.

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

The group of four were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they stole more than one million pounds of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

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

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, wore gloves and masks, switched their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

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

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie 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 judge was informed, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the consequence if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the amount due".