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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge was told the gang arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing another car to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, 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, valuables and footwear valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones off as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Rulings

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

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

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

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "recover the sum due".