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Members of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took over £1.2 million worth of goods, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

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

The foursome were imprisoned for from a decade or less in May 2025.

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

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using another car to search for targets and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, turned their mobile devices on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties 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 was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no money or property so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "such as operating in Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".