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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of burglars who took over £1.2m worth of goods, among them from former NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her child Charlie Jovanovic travelled to the north-east of the UK to raid three houses in spring 2024.

The group of four were jailed for from six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the gang came by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while using another car to scout out targets and execute thefts.

On March 31 they took over £1m of goods such as designer clothing, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The next evening, the crew broke into a house on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, jewellery and footwear valued at more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in money, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their phones off as they neared their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Hearings and Sentencing

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 hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their offenses 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 deemed to have any money that could be "realised", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The other three had no money or property so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with seven days in prison the result if the money was not paid.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the future, "such as driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a home", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the amount due".