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Members of an Italian clan of thieves who stole over £1.2 million valued of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 each.

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

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

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the group arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took more than £1m of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The following night, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, used gloves and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the sum due".