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Two men convicted for theft of 4.75 million pounds golden toilet from the Blenheim Palace | UK News

Two men convicted for theft of 4.75 million pounds golden toilet from the Blenheim Palace | UK News

Two men were found guilty for theft of a gold toilet of 4.75 million pounds in the house where Sir Winston Churchill was born.

Michael Jones helped Steal the golden toilet that works completely 18 caratsWhich was an art work called America, after entering the Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire in the early hours of September 14, 2019.

Jones, from Oxford, visited the imposing house twice in the days before the attack, but told the jury that there are no recognition trips.

The 39 -year -old was found guilty of burglary at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday.

Frederick Doe, 36, also known as Frederick Sines, from Windsor, Berkshire, was found guilty of conspiracy to convert or transfer criminal goods.

Bora Guccuk, 41, from Western London, was found guilty of the same accusation.

Doe helped James Sheen – who was described to be the main attack of the attack – to sell some of the gold in the weeks after theft.

Sheen, 40 years old from Wellingborough from Northamptonshire, Previously he said guilty of burglary.

He also recognized the conspiracy for the transfer of criminal property and a transfer of criminal properties at Oxford Crown Court in April 2024.

Michael Jones, 39, was found guilty of burglary. Pic: pa
Image:
Michael Jones, 39, was found guilty of burglary. Pic: pa

Jones worked as a roof and builder for Sheen around 2018 and was actually “his man on the right”, he heard his process.

At one of his visits before burglary, Jones took pictures from inside the window building that the thieves would use to go home.

The day before the attack he took pictures of the toilet itself, the lock on the toilet door and other pictures with the same window from the outside.

Prosecutor Julian Christopher KC said during the process that it seems that five men had the attack – however, only Jones and Sheen were caught.

Sheen and his accomplices drove two stolen vehicles, a VW Golf and an Isuzu truck, through gates locked at the Blenheim Palace, shortly before 5 in the morning, on the night of the attack.

Read more:
CCTV presents a gold toilet theft of 4.75 million pounds
The stolen gold toilet was “used by Jones”

James Sheen, 40, pleaded guilty of burglary. Pic: pa
Image:
James Sheen, 40, pleaded guilty of burglary. Pic: pa

The police in Thames Valley said that three men armed with Sledgehammers and a bar obtained entrance to the palace, threw themselves through the solid wooden door and broke the toilet from its fixations.

The carefully planned raid ended in five minutes.

It was believed that gold was worth about 2.8 million pounds at the time of theft.

However, the work of art, which weighed around 98 kg, were insured for the price of 4.75 million pounds.

A few days after the burglary, Sheen contacted DOE about selling gold.

Through encoded messages, the two men spoke about “cars” and were offered “26 and a half” – about which the criminal prosecution service (CPS) says they refer to men who get 26,500 pounds per kilogram in the stolen gold.

Jones was arrested on October 16, 2019 before the officers analyze their phone.

The force found that he was looking for news reports on the stolen toilet on September 20, 2019, he told the jurors.

The golden toilet that works completely 18 carats was stolen in September 2019. Pic: Tom Lindboe/Pa Media
Image:
The golden toilet that works completely 18 carats was stolen in September 2019. Pic: Tom Lindboe/Pa Media

A photo shows the scene in the Blenheim Palace after the toilet was torn from its fittings. Pic: pa
Image:
A photo shows the scene in the Blenheim Palace after the toilet was torn from its fittings. Pic: pa

Meanwhile, Sheen’s DNA was found on both a left sled on the spot and in the stolen Isuzu truck used in Raid.

The tracks, confiscated at his house, had hundreds of gold fragments on them, which, when analyzed, were indistinguisable by the gold from which the toilet was made.

The sculpture, which was created by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was the star attraction of an exhibition at Country House before being stolen.

It could be used as a toilet by public members – with Jones telling the jury that he had taken advantage of the “facilities” of the art work before being taken.

Asked how it is, he replied, “Splendid”.

None of gold has ever been recovered, the crown tracking service (CPS) saying that it is likely to have been “broken down or melted and sold shortly after it was stolen.”

Fred Sines leaves Oxford's magistrates, as four men were accused of theft of a golden toilet in the Blenheim Palace. The installation of art, valued at 4.8 million pounds, disappeared in an overnight attack in September 2019. Image date: Tuesday, November 28, 2023.
Image:
Frederick Doe leaves the Oxford magistrates’ court in 2023. Pic: Pa

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Jones and Sheen will be convicted of a date to be set.

Doe will be convicted on May 19th.

Shan Saunders, from CPS, said it is “an auditory attack that was carefully planned and executed – but the responsible ones were not careful enough, leaving a trace of evidence.”