LONDON — In one of the most bizarre art thefts in recent history, two men have been sentenced for stealing an 18-karat gold toilet valued at over $6.4 million from Blenheim Palace, the English estate where Winston Churchill was born.
The fully functional toilet, part of a provocative art installation titled “America” by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, was on display when it was ripped from the plumbing during a brazen early-morning burglary in September 2019.
‘America’ Exhibit Targeted Just Days After Installation
The golden toilet, which weighed over 215 pounds, had only been installed two days earlier as part of an art exhibition at the palace. Previously, it had been displayed at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
On the night of the theft, a gang of five burglars smashed a window and forcibly removed the exhibit, causing significant damage to the palace’s plumbing and structure.
Despite investigations and multiple arrests, the golden toilet was never recovered and is believed to have been chopped up and sold in pieces on the black market.
Sentences Handed Down in Oxford Crown Court
After years of legal proceedings, two of the individuals involved in the theft have now been sentenced:
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James Sheen, 40, a roofer and central figure in the burglary, pleaded guilty to multiple charges including burglary, conspiracy, and transferring criminal property. He was sentenced to four years in prison.
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Michael Jones, 39, an associate who worked for Sheen, was found guilty of burglary and sentenced to two years and three months.
The value of the toilet’s raw gold at the time of the heist was estimated at $3.5 million, but the artwork had been insured for over $6 million, owing to its artistic and cultural significance.
A Provocative Symbol Now Lost
Artist Maurizio Cattelan titled the toilet “America” as a commentary on wealth inequality and opulence. The interactive exhibit allowed guests to actually use the toilet during its initial installation in New York — a decision meant to engage the public directly with the piece’s message.
Its theft, while shocking, seemed to echo the themes of decadence and destruction central to the artwork’s message.
What do you think the theft of this artwork says about the intersection of wealth, art, and crime? Let us know your thoughts in the comments at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
