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Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million worth of items, among them from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The group of four were jailed for from a decade or less in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out burglaries.

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

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

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

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the sum was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as operating in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum due".