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Individuals of an Italy-based clan of thieves who took over £1.2 million worth of items, including from former Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak, have been mandated to pay back just £1 per person.

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

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

At a criminal assets hearing at the court, Jela Jovanovic and the brothers Nikolov were instructed to repay £1 each while Charlie must pay £1,135.

Details of the Burglaries

The judge previously heard the group arrived by boat in the United Kingdom on March 27, 2024 and used a campervan as their "base of operations", which they stationed at a service area and Durham service stations while utilizing a separate vehicle to scout out properties and execute burglaries.

On 31 March they stole over £1m of goods including high-end fashion, handbags, jewellery and a CBE medal from a residence on Clayton Road in Jesmond, while the owners were on holiday.

The following night, the gang entered a home on a private road in Whitburn, and stole luxury bags, valuables and shoes worth more than one hundred thousand pounds.

Following surveillance of the football club's facility for 48 hours, they then struck at the home of Sweden striker Alexander Isak in Darras Hall on April 4, taking ten thousand pounds in cash, £68,000 valued of jewellery and the striker's £120,000 luxury car.

The group, who were portrayed by prosecutors as experienced itinerant burglars, used gloves and face coverings, switched their mobile devices off as they neared their targets and attached a number plate, which had been stolen from a auto shop in Chester-le-Street, on to their vehicle with rubber straps.

They were arrested in the Birmingham area on 13 April.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing

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

At the proceeds of crime hearing, prosecutor the prosecution said every one of the burglars had profited from their offenses to the value of £1,266,285.93, which was based on what the victims said they had lost.

But Charlie Jovanovic was the sole individual found to have any funds that could be "recovered", namely over a thousand pounds which had already been seized by police, the judge was informed, with 14 days to be served in prison if he defaulted.

The other three had no money or assets so were ordered to pay a nominal fee of £1 per person, with one week in incarceration the result if the money was not paid.

Judge Spragg said if they were discovered with property in the coming years, "for example driving around Italy in a fast car or owning a home", prosecutors could seek further action to "satisfy the sum due".