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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took over £1.2m worth of items, including from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

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

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

At a criminal assets proceeding 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 Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and execute thefts.

On March 31 they stole over one million pounds of goods including designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The next evening, the gang entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, and took designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.

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

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant burglars, used gloves and masks, turned their phones off as they neared their targets and strapped a license 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 April 13.

Court Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds 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 directed to make a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating in Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the sum due".