In one of the most bizarre art thefts in recent history, a British court has convicted two men in connection with the stealing of a solid gold toilet from the historic Blenheim Palace—former birthplace of Winston Churchill.
The 18-carat gold toilet, titled “America”, was a functioning masterpiece and a showpiece for an exhibition by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan in 2019. The lavish loo, estimated to be worth £2.8 million ($3.5 million then), was swiped in a five-minute overnight raid.
On Tuesday, jurors at Oxford Crown Court delivered their verdicts:
- Michael Jones, 39, was found guilty of burglary.
- Frederick Doe, 36, was found guilty of conspiracy to deal in criminal property.
The court previously heard how the thieves carried out the raid in the early hours of September 14, 2019, and left sledgehammers behind as evidence. Despite the toilet being worth a fortune, none of the gold has ever been found—prosecutors believe it was instantly broken up, melted, and sold.
Surprisingly, Jones admitted to having visited the toilet in Blenheim Palace a day before it was stolen. When asked to comment on the experience, he replied that it was “splendid.”
A second defendant, James Sheen, 40, has already pleaded guilty to burglary and money laundering charges, while a fourth man, Bora Guccuk, 41, was acquitted of any wrongdoing.
Shan Saunders of the Crown Prosecution Service described the theft as an “audacious raid” that had been “carefully planned and executed.” However, she added that the suspects left behind significant evidence—ranging from CCTV and forensic to mobile phone data—that led to their downfall.
“Although none of the gold was ever recovered—no doubt having been broken up or melted down and sold on—we consider this prosecution has helped to disrupt a wider crime and money laundering network,” Saunders added.
What next?
Doe is to be sentenced on May 19, but sentencing dates have not yet been fixed for Jones and Sheen.
This strange event has created widespread public fascination not only because of the sheer decadence of the stolen object but also because of the brazen nature of the act. As the legal book closes on the golden toilet heist, one thing is for sure: the truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.
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