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Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who stole over £1.2 million valued of goods, including from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using another car to search for properties and execute thefts.

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

The next evening, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, used gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example operating Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "recover the amount due".