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Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who stole over £1.2m valued of goods, among them from former Newcastle United striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of England to burgle three houses in April 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for from six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while utilizing another car to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they stole more than one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to the burglary plot but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants had benefited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, 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 previously been confiscated by police, 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 nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example operating Italy in a fast car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "recover the amount outstanding".