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Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who took over £1.2 million worth of goods, among them from former NUFC forward Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo, their sister Jela and her child Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of England to raid three houses in spring 2024.

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

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The judge was told the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using another car to scout out targets and carry out burglaries.

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

The following night, the crew entered a house on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out the football club's training ground for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, stealing £10,000 in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as professional touring thieves, used hand coverings and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their objectives and attached a license plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

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

At the criminal gains session, lawyer the prosecution said every one of the defendants had profited 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 Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with 14 days to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 per person, with one week in prison the consequence if the money was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with assets in the future, "for example driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the amount due".