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Members of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took more than £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in April 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out burglaries.

On 31 March they stole more than £1m of items such as designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.

The following night, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, jewellery and shoes worth more than £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, wore hand coverings and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had pleaded not guilty to 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, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

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

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the amount outstanding".