Thief found guilty for stealing gold toilet from an English palace
Hacked Loos and Golden Jokes: The Great Blenheim Palace Heist
In a crazy turn of events, a notorious criminal named Michael Jones got caught red-handed stealing a golden toilet from a posh English palace. He and an accomplice, James Sheen, were convicted for the audacious heist on the 19th-century palace's prized potty - insured for a whopping £5 million!
According to prosecutors, Jones snooped around the mansion, where Churchill was born, the day before the robbery, describing the experience as "splendid". On the night of September 14, 2019, he and his crew of crooks - armed with sledgehammers and crowbars - stormed the place, busted a window into the lavatory area, and made off with the loot in less than five minutes. The thieves left a trail of destruction, causing a messy flood before escaping in stolen cars.
Prosecutor Shan Saunders called their plan "a careless, daring raid." While they may have thought they'd gotten away with it, it turns out clean-up crews left clues behind, like CCTV footage, forensic evidence, and phone data.
As for the stolen porcelain potty, it hasn't been seen since, but authorities believe it was cut up and sold like scrap.
The golden toilet, titled "America" by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was a satirical piece that poked fun at wealth. Weighing in at 98 kg, it was worth a cool £2.8 million in gold alone.
Before it disappeared, the golden loo had been on display at The Guggenheim Museum in New York. In a twist of fate, the museum offered the artwork to former US President Donald Trump during his term, following his request to borrow a Van Gogh painting.
Michael Jones, 39, was convicted of burglary in Oxford Crown Court. It was James Sheen, 40, who masterminded the heist, pleading guilty to burglary, conspiracy, and transferring criminal property.
Sheen worked with a third man, Fred Doe, to sell the stolen gold. In a series of text messages, they referred to the gold as a "car." After the deal, Doe, 36, was convicted of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
Meanwhile, a fourth man charged in the conspiracy, Bora Guccuk, managed to dodge the charges.
Fred Doe, it appears, had a less direct role in the heist but played a vital part in trying to sell off the stolen gold after the theft. So, the next time you hear the phrase "cash in on the loot," don't think about a Indiana Jones adventure; just think of the stolen golden toilet! htt!
[1] https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/legal-news/fourth-man-acquitted-in-stolen-golden-toilet-case/5112483.article
- The golden toilet, a satirical piece by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, previously displayed at The Guggenheim Museum in New York, was reportedly offered to former US President Donald Trump.
- Despite the audacious heist of the golden toilet, it seems that Fred Doe, one of the accomplices, had a less direct role in the theft but played a vital part in trying to sell off the stolen gold.
- In the artistic world, a significant style shift might be compared to the careless, daring raid on Blenheim Palace, where a golden latrine, a masterpiece called "America," was stolen.
