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Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole over £1.2m valued of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of the UK to raid 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 proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the gang came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service service stations while using another car to search for targets and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they took over £1m of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and face coverings, turned their phones off as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop 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 had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor the prosecution said each 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 had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

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

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the amount due".