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2mo ago

Two Men Convicted in Audacious Gold Toilet Heist at Blenheim Palace

The 18-carat gold toilet, valued at £4.75 million, remains unrecovered after being stolen in a meticulously planned raid in 2019.

FILE - This screenshot made from a video shows the 18-karat toilet, titled "America," by Maurizio Cattelan in the restroom of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Sept. 16, 2016. (AP Photo, File)
The fully functional 'America' toilet made from 18-karat gold has been opened in the Guggenheim Museum in Manhattan, New York City, USA, 16 September 2016. The toilet can and is to be used, but was also designed to be an artwork by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Photo: CHRISTINA HORSTEN/dpa | usage worldwide (Photo by Christina Horsten/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Michael Jones, 39, was convicted of burglary for stealing the 18-carat gold toilet, while Frederick Doe, 36, was found guilty of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
  • The satirical artwork, titled 'America' by Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen from Blenheim Palace in a five-minute raid on September 14, 2019.
  • James Sheen, the heist's ringleader, had previously pleaded guilty to burglary and conspiracy charges; Bora Guccuk was acquitted of related charges.
  • The toilet, weighing 98 kilograms and valued at £2.8 million for its gold alone, is believed to have been melted down and sold shortly after the theft.
  • The theft caused significant damage to Blenheim Palace, including flooding from the removal of the toilet's plumbing, and sentencing for the convicted men is pending.