In an extraordinary heist that has caught the attention of many, an 18-carat gold toilet, valued significantly more than its weight in gold, was stolen from Blenheim Palace on September 14, 2019. Prosecutor Julian Christopher described it as an “audacious raid” during the trial at Oxford Crown Court, where three men are facing charges related to the theft.
The toilet, crafted as a satirical piece entitled “America” by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was both a statement on wealth and a functional art piece, weighing just over 98 kilograms and insured for approximately £4.8 million (around $9.5 million). Prior to its theft, it was exhibited at The Guggenheim Museum in New York and had garnered international attention.
The prosecutor revealed that one of the defendants, Michael Jones, had performed extensive reconnaissance before the theft, photographing entry points and even the lock on the toilet door on two separate occasions. This thorough preparation culminated in the early morning burglary, where an accomplice crashed through the palace gates using two stolen vehicles. They quickly broke into the building, dismantled the toilet from its fixture, and left behind significant water damage as the plumbing gushed freely.
The toilet has never been recovered, leading investigators to believe it may have been dismantled and sold piece by piece. Meanwhile, Jones is linked to a builder named James Sheen, who also participated in the burglary and was involved in attempts to sell the golden toilet. Following the incident, Sheen reached out to Fred Doe and Bora Guccuk in an effort to broker a sale of the valuable loot, alluding to it in coded language as a “car” in text messages.
Jones, Sheen, Doe, and Guccuk have all denied the charges against them; however, evidence suggests they were complicit in both the theft and subsequent attempts to profit from the stolen artwork. The case continues to unfold, sparking intrigue and disbelief over the audacity of the crime and the high-profile nature of the stolen item. Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the birthplace of Winston Churchill, remains a focal point of the investigation, with its historical significance highlighted by the damage inflicted during the heist.