Two men have been sentenced for their roles in the audacious theft of a £4.75 million solid gold toilet from Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. James Sheen, 40, received a four-year prison term, while Michael Jones, 39, was sentenced to 27 months at Oxford Crown Court.
The 18-carat, fully functioning lavatory, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and titled 'America', was stolen in September 2019. Thieves armed with sledgehammers breached the palace in two stolen vehicles, smashing through a window and disconnecting the toilet in just over five minutes, causing flooding and damage to the historic site.
Judge Ian Pringle KC described the crime as a 'bold and brazen heist' and noted that the artwork has never been recovered. Sheen, who admitted burglary and related offences, will serve his sentence consecutively to the 19 years and four months he is already serving for other crimes. Jones, found guilty of burglary after a trial, was deemed to have conducted reconnaissance prior to the theft.
Detectives believe the toilet was broken up and the gold may have been smuggled abroad. Thames Valley Police are now pursuing the recovery of criminal assets, including luxury goods purchased after the heist, and continue to work with international partners.
