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Members of an Italy-based family of burglars who stole over £1.2 million worth of items, including from ex- NUFC striker Alexander Isak, have been mandated to return only £1 each.

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

The group of four were imprisoned for from a decade or less in May 2025.

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

Details of the Burglaries

The judge was told the group arrived by ferry in the United Kingdom on 27 March 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they parked at a service area and Durham service rest stops while utilizing another car to search for targets and carry out thefts.

On March 31 they took more than one million pounds of items including high-end fashion, purses, jewellery and a honor from a house on a street in Jesmond, while the owners were away.

The next evening, the gang broke into a house on a gated cul-de-sac in Whitburn, South Tyneside, and stole luxury bags, jewellery and footwear worth more than £100,000.

After scouting out Newcastle United's training ground for two days, they then struck at the home of Swedish player Alexander Isak in Darras Hall, Ponteland on 4 April, taking £10,000 in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 Audi RS6.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced touring burglars, wore gloves and masks, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and strapped a number plate, which had been stolen from a garage in Chester-le-Street, on to their car with elastic bands.

They were apprehended in the Birmingham on 13 April.

Legal Proceedings and Rulings

Valentino had denied the burglary plot but was found guilty by jurors, while his three relations had all submitted admissions to the same charge.

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor Daniel Cordey said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the amount of over £1.2 million, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual deemed to have any money that could be "realised", namely over a thousand pounds which had previously been confiscated by police, the judge was informed, with two weeks to be served in jail if he failed to pay.

The remaining members had no assets or assets so were directed to pay a token amount of £1 each, with seven days in incarceration the result if the sum was not paid.

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