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Individuals of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from ex- NUFC striker Isak, have been ordered to pay back only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie travelled to the northeastern of England to burgle multiple homes in spring 2024.

The group of four were jailed for between a decade or less in 2025.

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

Particulars of the Break-ins

The court was told the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and employed a RV as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service stations while using a separate vehicle to scout out targets and carry out thefts.

On 31 March they took more than £1m of items including designer clothing, purses, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, Newcastle, while the residents were away.

The next evening, the gang entered a home on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and took luxury bags, jewellery and shoes worth over £100,000.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for two days, they then struck at the residence of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking ten thousand pounds in money, sixty-eight thousand pounds worth of jewellery and the striker's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced itinerant burglars, used gloves and face coverings, turned 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 car with elastic bands.

They were arrested in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

Valentino had denied 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 criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their crimes to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "recovered", specifically £1,135.50 which had already been seized by authorities, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The remaining members had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 each, with one week in prison the consequence if the sum was not submitted.

Judge 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 initiate further action to "satisfy the sum outstanding".