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Individuals of an Italy-based family of thieves who took more than £1.2m valued of goods, among them from ex- NUFC forward Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle three houses in spring 2024.

The group of four were jailed for from a decade or less in May 2025.

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

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group came by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took over one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The following night, the crew entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as professional itinerant burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, switched their phones off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum outstanding".