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Members of an Italian clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million valued of goods, including from former NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the gang arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using another car to search for properties and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole over one million pounds of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their mobile devices on silent as they neared their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, 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 "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

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

The judge Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".