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

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

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

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the gang came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole more than £1m of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their phones on silent as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the defendants had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money 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 jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were ordered to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "recover the amount due".