Two men behind the theft of a £4.8 million golden toilet from Blenheim Palace have been jailed.
James Sheen, aged 40, and Michael Jones, aged 39, were members of a group of five thieves who forcibly entered a location and stole a fully operational 18-carat gold toilet known as ‘America’ in 2019.
Video footage captured them transporting the toilet, covered in gold, to a VW Golf just 48 hours after it was put on exhibition at the former residence of Winston Churchill, following a lavish unveiling event.
The car could be seen to sag under the weight of the luxurious lavatory – which has never been recovered.
Sheen and Jones received a four-year prison sentence and a 27-month prison sentence respectively.
During their sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle KC remarked: ‘This daring and audacious robbery lasted a mere five-and-a-half minutes. ‘America’ has not been recovered since.’
Oxford Crown Court heard Sheen was already serving over 19 years’ imprisonment for attacks on cash machines, a museum burglary and fraud and was not due for release until 2032.
The pair were previously convicted in a Trading Standards investigation of defrauding elderly people by charging them ‘way over the odds’ for poor roofing work, Mr Riddell said.
The toilet (pictured) was taken in September 2019 while it formed part of an art installation entitled ‘America’
The two men behind the £4.8 million golden toilet theft at Blenheim Palace have been jailed. Michael Jones, 39, was sentences to 27 months in prison and James Sheen, 40, received a four-year prison sentence
‘I say straight away I have no doubt at all that the sentence I pass must be consecutive to the sentence you are currently serving,’ the judge continued.
‘Not to do so would be to send out a message that you did this without any penalty at all.
He said to Sheen: ‘You were part of the gang of five men who smashed their way into Blenheim Palace that night and stole the hugely valuable golden toilet.
‘You were almost certainly the figure that carried the sledgehammer on which your DNA was found and which was used to sever the functioning toilet from its connecting pipes.
‘I say straight away I have no doubt at all that the sentence I pass must be consecutive to the sentence you are currently serving.
‘Not to do so would be to send out a message that you did this without any penalty at all.’
Sheen was jailed for four years and his sentence will run consecutively to the 19 years and four-month sentence he is currently serving for attacks on cash machines, a museum burglary and fraud.
The magnificent golden toilet was stolen in the early hours of September 14 – just two days after it went on display – by sledgehammer-wielding thieves who smashed their way in, Oxford Crown Court heard.
Extraordinary CCTV captured the unfolding heist as three of the men smashed their way through a window with weapons like crowbars and emerged just five minutes later with the golden toilet.
They drove through locked wooden gates into the grounds of the palace in two stolen vehicles before breaking in through a window.
Footage showed the toilet being rolled towards one of the waiting vehicles, which sags visibly as its weight is loaded into the boot, before both cars sped away.
The solid 18-carat gold toilet stolen from Blenheim Palace during the overnight raid
The exhibition allowed visitors to look at and even sit on the statement toilet, which was designed by artist Maurizio Cattelan and plumbed in the palace, near the room where Winston Churchill was born (pictured: the empty space left after the toilet was taken)
Sheen, who pleaded guilty in April last year, bragged to Doe with a picture showing a large pile of cash
Police said that they believe ‘within hours of being stolen the toilet was taken to multiple locations melted down and then sold off’. No trace has ever been recovered.
Sheen is believed to have had the golden toilet broken up before he tried selling the parts to underworld contacts, prompting searches in Birmingham and Hatton Garden in London, Thames Valley Police said.
Sheen, who pleaded guilty to burglary in April last year, bragged in a message to Doe that he had made £520,000 from selling his share of the gold to an unidentified jeweller in Birmingham.
His message was accompanied by a picture showing a large pile of cash.
Jones worked for Sheen’s construction company and took pictures of the window which was later used by the gang to smash into the palace, as well as pictures of the golden toilet and the lock on the door of the cubicle.
Giving evidence, he previously told the court he had used the toilet during his visit and described the experience as ‘splendid’.
The criminal, of Wellingborough, Northamptonshire had previously admitted burglary, conspiracy to transfer criminal property and one count of transferring criminal property.
Jones, of Oxford, was found guilty of burglary following a trial.
Fred Doe (pictured), was convicted of trying to sell the stolen gold, following a trial at Oxford Crown Court in March
Bora Guccuk (pictured outside Oxford Crown Court) was acquitted of trying to launder the stolen gold
Fred Doe, 36, was convicted of trying to sell the stolen gold, following a trial at Oxford Crown Court in March.
Bora Guccuk, 41, was found not guilty in March of converting or transferring criminal property.
Police have faced questions over their failure to locate any of the stolen gold, the bullion merchants who bought it, or the other three burglars, despite a five-year investigation.
None of the gold bullion merchants who bought the stolen gold have been charged and the ultimate fate of the gold remains a mystery.
Entitled America, the toilet weighed approximately 98 kilogrammes, was insured for six million US dollars (£4.75 million) and was made from gold which was itself worth about £2.8 million.
The toilet was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and was a star attraction in an exhibition at Blenheim Palace, the house where Sir Winston Churchill was born.
Thames Valley Police has vowed to try to claw back some of the gang’s ill-gotten gains through Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings.
The force said it conducted a ‘complex investigation’ which led to ‘multiple arrests’ in addition to the four defendants, but ‘there was not sufficient evidence to bring further charges’.
It is now working with international partners and has not ruled out the chance that the gold was moved overseas.
Detective Superintendent Bruce Riddell told the PA news agency: ‘It could have got abroad.
‘Obviously, there’s restrictions on moving gold outside the country and if you’re doing that you’re taking a bit of a chance going through a border.
‘So, it’s probably more likely to be that at least the identity of it has changed in the UK before it was moved anywhere else.’
Mr Riddell said the next stage of the probe is the identification and recovery of criminal assets, including luxury goods bought after the crime.
He said: ‘We will continue to explore all opportunities, along with our partners, to recover assets from those connected to this investigation and their criminality.’
On ‘career criminal’ Sheen specifically, he said: ‘Additional financial investigations are actively ongoing with our partners for a significant amount in assets.’
The officer added: ‘All he wants to do is make as much money as quickly as possible.
‘He’s not frightened of who he hurts or what he damages or the sentimental value of some of the items that he will steal.’
The force has applied for a serious crime prevention order (SCPO) to take effect upon Sheen’s release from prison, which if breached could mean he faces another five years behind bars.
