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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who took over £1.2 million valued of items, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return just £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the northeastern of the UK to burgle three houses in April 2024.

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

At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the gang came by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "headquarters", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they stole over one million pounds of items including designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the residents were away.

The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional itinerant burglars, used hand coverings and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their objectives and strapped a number plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution 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 had stolen.

But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", namely £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or property so were directed to make a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the future, "for example operating Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".