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Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who took over £1.2m worth of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled 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 2025.

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using another car to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods including designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The following night, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, wore gloves and masks, turned their phones off as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "recover the sum outstanding".