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Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of goods, among them from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

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

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

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Burglaries

The court was told the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a honor 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, and stole designer handbags, valuables and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring thieves, used gloves and face coverings, turned their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

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

Judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the amount outstanding".