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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who took more than £1.2m valued of goods, among them from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of England to raid three houses in spring 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Burglaries

The court was told the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for properties and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took more than £1m of goods including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The following night, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones off as they neared 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 apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

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

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "such as operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".