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Members of an Italian family of thieves who stole more than £1.2m valued of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.

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

The foursome were jailed for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court previously heard the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to scout out properties and execute thefts.

On March 31 they stole over one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and shoes worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and masks, turned their phones on silent as they approached their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended 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 admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor 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 victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "for example driving around in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".