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Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who took more than £1.2m worth of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been mandated to return just £1 per person.

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

The foursome were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in May 2025.

At a criminal assets proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie Jovanovic must pay £1,135.

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court was told the gang arrived by ferry in the UK on March 27, 2024 and used a RV as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out targets and execute burglaries.

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

The following night, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's training ground for two days, they then acted at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in money, £68,000 worth of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, wore hand coverings and masks, switched their phones on silent as they approached their objectives and strapped a license plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Sentencing

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the value of over £1.2 million, which was determined by what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had previously been confiscated by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

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

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "such as driving around in Italy in a sports car or owning a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the amount due".