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Members of an Italian family of thieves who stole over £1.2m valued of goods, including from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.

Siblings Valentino and Giacomo Nikolov, their sister Jela and her son Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

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

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

Details of the Break-ins

The court was told the gang arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at Scotch Corner and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle to search for properties and carry out burglaries.

On March 31 they stole more than one million pounds of goods such as designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a honor from a house on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The following night, the crew broke into a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and shoes valued at over one hundred thousand pounds.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden player Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing £10,000 in cash, £68,000 worth of jewelry and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, wore gloves and face coverings, turned their mobile devices 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 car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on April 13.

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino Nikolov had denied the burglary plot but was convicted by the court, while his three relations had all submitted guilty pleas to the identical accusation.

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

But Charlie was the only one found to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by authorities, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be spent in prison if he failed to pay.

The other three had no assets or assets 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 Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "such as driving around Italy in a sports car or owning a property", prosecutors could initiate new proceedings to "satisfy the sum outstanding".