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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took over £1.2m valued of goods, among them from former NUFC forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

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

The foursome were imprisoned for from a decade or less in 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge was told the group came by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took more than one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewelry and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The following night, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, and took luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on 4 April, stealing ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, switched their phones on silent as they neared their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had benefited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were ordered to make a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison 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 fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek new proceedings to "recover the amount outstanding".