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Members of an Italy-based family of thieves who stole over £1.2 million valued of items, among them from former Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

Brothers Valentino and Giacomo, their female sibling Jela and her son Charlie Jovanovic journeyed to the north-east of the UK to raid multiple homes in spring 2024.

The group of four were imprisoned for between six and 10 years in 2025.

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela and the Nikolov brothers were ordered to repay £1 each while Charlie Jovanovic must pay over a thousand pounds.

Details of the Burglaries

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

On March 31 they took over one million pounds of items including designer clothing, purses, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The next evening, the crew broke into a home on a private road in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes valued at more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's facility for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish player Mr Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on April 4, stealing ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the player's £120,000 luxury car.

The gang, who were described by prosecutors as experienced itinerant thieves, used hand coverings and masks, turned their phones off as they approached their targets and attached a number plate, which had been taken from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on April 13.

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had denied conspiracy to burglary but was convicted by the court, while his family members had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the criminal gains hearing, lawyer Daniel Cordey said each of the defendants had profited from their crimes to the amount of £1,266,285.93, which was determined by what the affected parties said they had had stolen.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the court was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or property so were directed to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the consequence if the money was not submitted.

The judge Spragg said if they were discovered with assets in the future, "for example operating in Italy in a fast car or owning a property", the prosecution could seek further action to "satisfy the amount outstanding".