A gold toilet was stolen from Blenheim Palace in 2019. The trial reveals details of the burglary, arrests, and the fate of the artwork. Learn more about this case.
Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, was the scene of a daring burglary in the early hours of September 14, 2019. A gold toilet, an artwork titled “America” by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen from the palace. The ongoing trial sheds light on the details of the crime.
The Burglary
Prosecutor Julian Christopher KC informed the court that a group of five individuals, traveling in two vehicles, breached the locked gates of Blenheim Palace. They used sledgehammers to force their way into the building. The raid itself took approximately five minutes. The sledgehammers were left at the scene.
The stolen artwork, an 18-carat gold toilet, weighed 98kg and was insured for $6 million. At the time of the theft, the gold alone was worth around £2.8 million.
The toilet was fully functional while on exhibit. The thieves broke down the wooden door to the cubicle where the toilet was plumbed in, removed it, leaving water pouring out of the pipes, and drove away.
Investigation and Arrests
Michael Jones, 39, from Oxford, pleaded not guilty to stealing the artwork. Frederick Sines, 36, also known as Frederick Doe, of Winkfield, Windsor, Berkshire, and Bora Guccuk, 41, from west London, each deny one count of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
James Sheen, 40, from Wellingborough in Northamptonshire, pleaded guilty to burglary, transferring criminal property, and conspiracy to do the same in April 2024.
Messages and voice notes found on the phones of Sheen, Doe, and Guccuk indicated that the trio negotiated a price of £25,632 per kilo for around 20kg of the stolen gold. It was alleged that Guccuk, who ran the jewellers Pacha of London in Hatton Garden, would make a profit of about £3,000 for every kilo he sold.
Aftermath
The stolen gold toilet has never been recovered. According to the prosecutor, it appears to have been split up into smaller amounts of gold and never recovered.
The trial continues to reveal details about the planning and execution of this audacious crime.
Background on Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a large and historic country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England. It is one of England’s largest houses and was built in the early 18th century. It is notable as the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, a key figure in British history. The Palace’s grounds and historical significance contribute to its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Sources: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn04xkx43pjo
https://news.sky.com/story/thieves-stole-2-8m-gold-toilet-at-blenheim-palace-in-just-five-minutes-court-hears-13316421
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/maurizio-cattelan-blenheim-palace-oxford-crown-court-italian-oxfordshire-b1212974.html