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Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took over £1.2 million valued of items, among them from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The judge was told the gang came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and footwear worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and masks, turned their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no money or property so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount due".