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Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of items, including from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, valuables and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their targets and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual found 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 prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in prison the result if the sum was not paid.

The judge Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as operating Italy in a sports car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate further action to "satisfy the amount outstanding".