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Members of an Italian family of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.

The group of four 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 Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while using another car to search for properties and execute thefts.

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

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and footwear valued at more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the consequence 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 fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the amount outstanding".