- The installation was made in the palace near the room where Winston Churchill was born
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A thief has admitted stealing an 18-carat gold toilet worth £4.8 million from Blenheim Palace, while three other men have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the theft.
James Sheen pleaded guilty to theft, transferring criminal property and conspiracy to do the same, via video link at Oxford Crown Court today.
The 39-year-old spoke from HMP Five Wells in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, where he is already serving a 17-year sentence for a series of robberies, including at ATMs.
Sheen, who is from Wellingborough, also previously stole £400,000 worth of high-value tractors and trophies from the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket.
Michael Jones, 38, Frederick Does (formerly Sines), 35, and Bora Guccuk, 40, have pleaded not guilty to charges related to the theft of the toilet, which was taken in September 2019 while it was part of a facility art titled ‘America’.
The exhibition allowed visitors to look at and even sit on the toilet, designed by artist Maurizio Cattelan and installed in the palace, near the room where Winston Churchill was born.
The installation was initially installed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016, where 100,000 people queued to use it before moving to Blenheim.
James Sheen (pictured), 39, admitted stealing an 18-carat gold toilet worth £4.8million from Blenheim Palace, while three other men pleaded not guilty to charges relating to the heist.
The bathroom (pictured) was taken in September 2019 while part of an art installation titled ‘America’.
The exhibition allowed visitors to look at and even sit on the toilet, which was designed by artist Maurizio Cattelan and installed in the palace, near the room where Winston Churchill was born (pictured: the empty space left after he was took the toilet).
The installation was initially installed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016, where 100,000 people queued to use it before it was moved to Blenheim (pictured).
Michael Jones (pictured, left), 38, Frederick Does (formerly Sines) (center), 35, and Bora Guccuk (right), 40, have pleaded not guilty to charges related to the theft of the toilet, which was taken in September. 2019 while part of an art installation titled ‘America’
Jones (pictured leaving Oxford Magistrates’ Court in November) is charged with robbery
Guccuk (pictured leaving Oxford Magistrates’ Court in November) is charged with conspiracy to transfer criminal property, as does
Speaking at the time of the robbery, artist Cattelan said he hoped it was a prank and asked: “Who is stupid enough to steal a toilet?” (The work titled) America was the one percent for the 99 percent.’
Meanwhile, palace chief executive Dominic Hare said he hoped the “pointless” theft would “immortalize” the work before defending the stately homes’ “sophisticated security system.”
The boss added that it was “deeply ironic” that a work “that portrays the American dream” and the elite object made available to everyone was “instantly taken away and hidden from view.”
Jones, charged with robbery, and Does and Guccuk, charged with conspiracy to transfer criminal property, will stand trial on February 24, 2025.