Men Jailed for $9 million Gold Toilet Heist at Blenheim Palace
Two men have been sentenced to jail for breaking into Blenheim Palace and stealing a solid-gold toilet valued at $9 million.
james sheen, 40, received a four-year sentence, while Michael Jones, 39, was sentenced to 27 months at Oxford Crown Court. Sheen’s sentence will be added to the 19 years he is already serving for other crimes.
The 18-carat gold toilet, titled “America,” was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It was stolen from an exhibition at Blenheim Palace, Winston Churchill’s birthplace, in September 2019.
Judge Ian Pringle described the heist as “bold and brazen,” taking only five-and-a-half minutes. The artwork has not been recovered.
Gold from Toilet Never Recovered
the toilet weighed approximately 98 kilograms and contained 20 kilograms of gold. It was insured for $US6 million ($9 million).
The thieves used sledgehammers to steal the toilet shortly after the exhibition’s launch party.
Prosecutors believe the artwork was likely broken down and sold soon after the theft. The gold has not been found.
Sheen is believed to have sold the 20kg of gold in birmingham for 26,000 pounds ($54,000) a kilogram.
Frederick Doe, a third man, helped Sheen connect with a buyer but avoided jail with a suspended sentence.
Jones admitted to using the toilet the day before the theft, describing the experience as “splendid.”
Sheen pleaded guilty to burglary and money laundering, while Jones was convicted of burglary after a trial.
