Members of an Italian family of thieves who took over £1.2m valued of items, including from ex- Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.
Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela Jovanovic and her son Charlie journeyed to the north-east of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.
The group of four were jailed for from a decade or less in May 2025.
At a proceeds of crime proceeding at Newcastle Crown Court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must pay £1,135.
Details of the Burglaries
The judge previously heard the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a RV as their "headquarters", which they parked at a service area and Durham rest stops while utilizing another car to search for properties and carry out burglaries.
On 31 March they stole over one million pounds of goods such as high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the owners were away.
The next evening, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear valued at over £100,000.
After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then acted at the home of Swedish striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.
The group, who were described by the prosecution as experienced touring thieves, used hand coverings and masks, turned their mobile devices on silent 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 apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.
Legal Proceedings and Rulings
Valentino Nikolov had pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to burglary but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all entered guilty pleas to the identical accusation.
At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the affected parties said they had had stolen.
But Charlie was the sole individual found to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he defaulted.
The other three had no money or property so were directed to make a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the sum was not paid.
Judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example driving around Italy in a sports car or possessing a home", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".
