How a gold toilet was stolen in Britain in five minutes! You will be stunned to know its price

New Delhi. A British court on Monday (February 24) heard the sensational theft in which thieves stole a toilet made of 18 carat gold from Blenheim Palace in just five minutes. This unique artwork was created by famous Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and he named it ‘America’. In September 2019, it was installed for an exhibition at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, but within a few days the thieves stole it. The price of this toilet was estimated at $ 6.06 million (about Rs 50 crore). Till now this toilet has not been recovered and it is believed that it was cut into pieces and sold as gold.

The theft was carried out under great planning
During the hearing at Oxford Crown Court, public prosecutor Julian Christopher Casey described it as a “well-planned and swiftly executed” theft. He said that the criminals had made full preparations in advance to carry out this crime. He said, “This theft was done under deep planning and it was carried out very quickly. The thieves entered Blenheim Palace by breaking the wooden doors before 5 am on 14 September 2019. They came in two stolen vehicles. They had an Isuzu truck and a VW Golf.”

The lawyer further said that the thieves entered the palace and targeted the exact place where the gold toilet was installed. They broke the door and removed the toilet, due to which the pipes burst and water started flowing. After this the thieves fled. Some hammers were also recovered at the scene, which were used to break the door. This toilet weighed 98 kg. Visitors could book a three-minute time slot to use it. The palace suffered heavy damage after the theft, as a water pipeline broke and it flooded.

These accused have been charged
Five people have been accused in this case. These include 39-year-old Michael Jones (Oxford), 36-year-old Frederick Sinus alias Frederick Doe (Windsor, Berkshire), 41-year-old Bora Guchuk and 40-year-old James Sheen (Wellingborough, Northamptonshire). Michael Jones appeared in court in January and denied the charges. Sinus and Guchuk have also denied involvement in the crime. Michael Jones is accused of theft, while Frederick and Bora are accused of conspiring to sell the stolen gold.

However, government lawyers claim that Jones had taken a picture of the toilet a day before the theft, which clearly shows that the incident was premeditated. Apart from this, it is alleged that Sinus and Guchuk conspired with James Sheen to sell the stolen gold after the theft.

No clue found so far
The court was also told that James Sheen had admitted his involvement in this theft in April 2024. He accepted the charges of theft, dealing in criminal property and transferring property. However, no trace of the stolen toilet has been found so far. It is believed that it has been cut into small parts and sold.

Importance of Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace, where this theft took place, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. This toilet was displayed as a satirical art, which was a satire on excessive wealth. This matter has remained in the news since the theft and now the court hearing has brought it back into the limelight. Police say that the investigation is still going on, but there is little hope of finding this unique toilet again. Now the further hearing of this much talked about theft will take place in the court and it will be interesting to see whether the other accused are proved guilty or not.