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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took more than £1.2 million valued of items, among them from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back only £1 per person.

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

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The judge previously heard the group came by boat in the UK on March 27, 2024 and employed a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while using another car to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the residents were on holiday.

The next evening, the gang entered a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices off as they approached their targets and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains session, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had benefited from their offenses to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one found to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in prison the result if the money was not submitted.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the sum due".