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Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who stole over £1.2 million valued of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

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

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court 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 service rest stops while utilizing another car to scout out properties and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of goods including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, 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 Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Court Hearings and Sentencing

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

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or assets so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the coming years, "for example operating Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".