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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who took more than £1.2 million valued of items, among them from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 each.

Siblings Valentino Nikolov and Giacomo Nikolov, their female sibling Jela and her child Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to raid three houses in April 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must hand over £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The court previously heard the group arrived by boat in the UK on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham rest stops while using another car to scout out properties and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they stole over one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a honor from a residence on a street in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The next evening, the crew entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

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

The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their phones off as they neared their targets and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a auto shop in a town, on to their vehicle with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Hearings and Rulings

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by the court, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, 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 victims said they had lost.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court heard, with two weeks to be spent in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no money or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with seven days in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.

Judge Robert Spragg said if they were found with property in the coming years, "for example operating in Italy in a sports car or possessing a property", prosecutors could seek further action to "recover the sum outstanding".