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Individuals of an Italian clan of thieves who took more than £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 per person.

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

The group of four were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.

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

Particulars of the Burglaries

The court was told the group came by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using another car to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of items such as high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took designer handbags, valuables and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as professional touring burglars, used gloves and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the judge 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 pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not paid.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum due".