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Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of items, including from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the gang came by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using another car to scout out properties and execute thefts.

On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at over £100,000.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized 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 property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", prosecutors could initiate further action to "recover the amount outstanding".