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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who stole over £1.2m valued of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to burgle three houses in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the gang arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole over £1m of goods including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, 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 took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices on silent as they approached their targets and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no money or property so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the amount due".