3 Men Are on Trial for Allegedly Stealing and Selling a $6 Million Gold Toilet
Three men are on trial for their alleged involvement in nabbing the ultimate throne—a $6 million (￡4.8 million) 18-carat-gold toilet.
Thieves took the one-of-a-kind perch—created by artist Maurizio Cattelan, father of the viral duct-taped banana artwork—from a country mansion in Oxfordshire, England, back in September 2019 in just five minutes, CNN reported. Now, one of the men on trial is purported to be involved with swiping the toilet from Blenheim Palace, while the other two reportedly helped to sell the piece.
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Catalan crafted the satirical golden privy, titled America, as a statement on excessive wealth. Weighing in at about 215 pounds, the toilet was fully functional before thieves took it from Blenheim Palace, where Winston Churchill was born. America had also previously been on display at the Guggenheim Museum. The artwork itself has never been found after the theft; it’s believed that it was cut up into parts and sold, according to CNN.
Defendant Michael Jones allegedly visited the country estate both before the toilet was on display and after the exhibit was installed, prosecutor Julian Christopher said in his opening statement. Both times, Jones took photos of a window that was later smashed during the break-in, the attorney said.
“There can be no doubt that he was carrying out reconnaissance for the burglary that was to take place that night,” Christopher said. “That would be enough to make him guilty of count one of burglary.”
Jones was also reportedly part of the group that nabbed the golden toilet before dawn on September 14, using a stolen Isuzu truck and a VW Golf to arrive on the scene. Once inside Blenheim Palace, the crew removed America from the plumbing, which caused significant water damage to the 18th-century estate—a UNESCO World Heritage site, CNN reported.
As for the other alleged perpetrators, Jones allegedly worked alongside James Sheen, who previously pleaded guilty to burglary, conspiracy, and transferring criminal property. Sheen, in turn, allegedly worked with Fred Doe and Bora Guccuk to sell the goods. All the defendants in the current case have pleaded not guilty.
Golden toilets aren’t the only items targeted by thieves of late. In the “Grate Cheese Heist,” thieves took $390,000 worth of prize-winning cheddar from a wholesaler in England. Elsewhere, police just busted a crime ring that was rerouting deliveries of luxury cars, including Rolls-Royces, Ferraris, and more. Hold on to your pearls—literally.
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