Golden toilet stolen from Blenheim Palace in “Auditual Raid”, court hearings – The Irish News

An “auditory raid” was performed to steal a 2.8 million pounds from the Blenheim Palace, heard a court.

It is believed that the distinguishing toilet that works fully, entitled America, which was installed as an art work at Oxfordshire Country House, where Sir Winston Churchill was born, has now been divided and eliminated, was told by Oxford Crown Court. .

The toilet, which was created by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was a star attraction in an exhibition when it was stolen by the thieves who wore the sled who threw themselves into the palace.

Prosecutor Julian Christopher KC said the attack lasted only five minutes, adding: “This case refers to the theft of a work of art at the Blenheim Palace in September 2019.

“It was an unusual work of art, being a complete functional toilet, made of 18 carat gold, entitled America.

“He weighed about 98 kg and was insured for $ six million (4.75 million pounds)

“The gold from which it was made was worth it in the region of 2.8 million pounds at that time.”

Michael Jones, 39 years old, from Oxford, pleaded guilty in January to steal art works in an overnight in the first hours of September 14, 2019.

Frederick Sines, 36, also known as Frederick Doe, Winkfield, Windsor, Berkshire and Bora Guccuk, 41, from Western London, each denies a conspiracy number to transfer criminal property.

The court heard that Sledgehammers was left on the spot.

Mr. Christopher said: “The burglary has been carefully planned and made quickly.

“The men, five of them appear, drove through wooden gates locked on the field of Blenheim Palace shortly before 5 in the morning, in two stolen vehicles, an Isuzu truck and an VW Golf.

“They drove on a field, until the front steps and broke and broke through a window.

“They knew exactly where to go, they broke the wooden door to the cubic, where the toilet was completely put, removed it, leaving the water that flows from the pipes and removed.

“In total, they spent only five minutes in the building.

“Clearly, such an auditory attack would not have been possible without much training.”

A photo was taken about 17 hours before the toilet was stolen, and the criminal prosecution claims that Jones took it while he was “there as a part of recognition for theft.”

Mr. Christopher added: “The work of art has never been recovered. It seems to have been divided into smaller amounts of gold and never recovered. “

It is assumed that Doe and Guccuk agreed to help one of the men who made the burglary – an defendant named James Sheen – sell some of the gold in the following weeks.

The jurors were said that a fourth defendant, Sheen, 40 years old, from Wellbborough, Northamptonshire, was previously guilty of burglary.

He also pleaded guilty of conspiracy for the transfer of criminal properties and a transfer of criminal properties, at Oxford Crown Court in April 2024.