A thief who stole a golden toilet from an English palace was convicted on Tuesday, along with an accomplice who helped profit from the stolen item. The toilet, made of 18-carat gold and worth nearly £5 million (over $6 million), was a unique work of art.
Michael Jones had even used the fully functional toilet while scouting Blenheim Palace — the birthplace of British wartime leader Winston Churchill — just a day before the theft took place, according to prosecutors. He later described the experience as “splendid.”
On September 14, 2019, before dawn, Michael Jones returned to Blenheim Palace with at least two other men, armed with sledgehammers and crowbars. In a swift five-minute operation, they smashed a window and pried the golden toilet from its plumbing, causing significant flooding as they made their escape in stolen vehicles.
“This was a bold heist that was carefully planned and executed,” said prosecutor Shan Saunders. “However, the culprits were not meticulous enough, leaving behind a trail of evidence, including forensics, CCTV footage, and phone data.”
The stolen toilet has never been recovered, but it is believed to have been dismantled and sold.
The toilet, called “America,” was a satirical piece created by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, mocking excessive wealth. Weighing over 215 pounds (98 kilograms), the work was valued at £2.8 million ($3.6 million) based on the gold’s worth at the time. It had previously been displayed at The Guggenheim Museum in New York, which had even offered it to US President Donald Trump after he requested to borrow a Van Gogh painting.
Jones, 39, was convicted of burglary at Oxford Crown Court.
James Sheen, 40, who masterminded the theft, had already pleaded guilty to burglary, conspiracy, and transferring criminal property.
Sheen then tried to arrange a deal with Fred Doe to sell the stolen gold, according to prosecutors. In a series of text messages, Sheen referred to the stolen items as a “car,” although he was actually talking about the gold toilet.
“I’ll link up with ya, I got something right up your path,” Sheen messaged Doe. “I can sell that car for you in two seconds… so come and see me tomorrow,” Doe replied.
Doe, 36, also known as Frederick Sines, was convicted of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
A fourth individual involved in the conspiracy, Bora Guccuk, 41, was acquitted by the jury.
