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Members of an Italy-based clan of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to raid three houses in April 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 and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court was told the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they stole over £1m of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, used gloves and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the amount due".