LONDON (AP) — A thief who swiped a golden toilet from an English palace was convicted Tuesday along with an accomplice who helped cash in on the spoils of the 18-carat work of art insured for nearly 5 million pounds (more than $6 million).
Michael Jones had used the fully functioning one-of-a-kind latrine as he did reconnaissance at Blenheim Palace — the country mansion where British wartime leader Winston Churchill was born — the day before the theft, prosecutors said. He described the experience as “splendid.”
He returned before dawn on Sept. 14, 2019, with at least two other men armed with sledgehammers and crowbars. They smashed a window and pried the toilet from its plumbing within five minutes, leaving a damaging flood in their wake as they escaped in stolen vehicles.
“This was an audacious raid which had been carefully planned and executed," prosecutor Shan Saunders said. “But those responsible were not careful enough, leaving a trail of evidence in the form of forensics, CCTV footage and phone data.”
The purloined potty has never been recovered but is believed to have been cut up and sold.
The satirical work, titled “America” by Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, poked fun at excessive wealth. It weighed just over 215 pounds (98 kilograms). The value of the gold at the time was 2.8 million ($3.6 million).
The piece had previously been on display at The Guggenheim Museum in New York. The museum had offered the work to U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term in office after he had asked to borrow a Van Gogh painting.
Jones, 39, was convicted of burglary in Oxford Crown Court.
The theft was planned by James Sheen, 40, who previously pleaded guilty to burglary, conspiracy and transferring criminal property.
Sheen then worked to broker a deal with Fred Doe to cash in on the haul, prosecutors said. In a series of text messages, Sheen referred to the loot as a “car,” but he was actually talking about the gold.
“I’ll link up with ya, I got something right up your path,” Sheen told Doe in one message.
“I can sell that car for you in two seconds ... so come and see me tomorrow,” Doe said in a reply.
Doe, 36, also known as Frederick Sines, was convicted of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
A fourth man charged in the conspiracy, Bora Guccuk, 41, was acquitted by jurors.
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