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Individuals of an Italian family of burglars who took more than £1.2 million valued of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back just £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid three houses in April 2024.

The foursome were jailed for between a decade or less in 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela Jovanovic 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 was told the group arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using a separate vehicle to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they took over £1m of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant thieves, used gloves and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their targets and attached a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his family members had all entered guilty pleas to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, lawyer the prosecution said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie was the only one deemed to have any funds that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge heard, with 14 days to be spent in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or property so were ordered to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in prison the result if the sum was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "such as operating Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could initiate new proceedings to "recover the sum due".