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Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who stole more than £1.2 million worth of goods, including from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been ordered to return only £1 per person.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her child Charlie journeyed to the northeastern of the UK to burgle multiple homes in April 2024.

The foursome were imprisoned for between a decade or less in 2025.

At a criminal assets proceeding at the court, Jela and the brothers Nikolov were ordered to pay back £1 per person while Charlie must hand over £1,135.

Particulars of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group arrived by ferry in the UK on 27 March 2024 and employed a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at Scotch Corner and Durham service service stations while using another car to search for properties and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they took over one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, handbags, jewelry and a CBE medal from a residence on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole designer handbags, valuables and footwear worth over £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Mr Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewelry and the player's one hundred twenty thousand pound luxury car.

The gang, who were portrayed by the prosecution as experienced touring burglars, used gloves and masks, switched their phones off as they approached their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in a town, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all entered admissions to the identical accusation.

At the proceeds of crime session, lawyer the prosecution said each of the burglars had benefited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the only one deemed to have any money that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by authorities, the court was informed, with 14 days to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to make a token amount of £1 each, with one week in incarceration the result if the money was not submitted.

The judge Robert Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or possessing a property", the prosecution could seek new proceedings to "satisfy the sum due".