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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from ex- NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid three houses in April 2024.

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

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

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for properties and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of items such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, used hand coverings and masks, switched their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey 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 had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the amount outstanding".