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Members of an Italian clan of burglars who took more than £1.2m worth of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

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

The group of four were imprisoned for between a decade or less in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the gang arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they stole over £1m of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional itinerant thieves, wore gloves and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims 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 previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks 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 incarceration the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the sum due".