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Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to search for properties and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with 14 days to be served in jail if he defaulted.

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

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "such as operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount outstanding".