The punishment received by two men after theft of a $ 6 million toilet from the birthplace of Churchill
The “America” toilet, from 18 carat gold, is the work of the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. Credit: AP / AP / Profimedia
Two men were sentenced to prison on Friday for theft of an 18 carat gold toilet, which had been exposed as an art work in an exhibition organized in the place where former British prime minister was born, Reuters reports.
The fully functional toilet, a work entitled “America” of the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen from the residence of the Churchill family, the Blenheim Palace in southern England, a major tourist attraction and the SIT included in the UNESCO World Heritage.
In February, at the beginning of the process of the Oxford Crown Court, prosecutor Julian Christopher told the jurors that a group of five men passed with two vehicles stolen through the wooden gates of the palace, which were locked, before the dawn of September 14, 2019. They entered through a window, they broke a wooden door, they had a wooden door, they had a wooden door.
For the 98 -kilogram toilet there is an insurance of $ 6 million. Prosecutors say that, most likely, it has been divided into smaller amounts of gold for sale. No piece of gold has ever been recovered.
Before the trial, James Sheen (40 years old) pleaded guilty for breaking, conspiracy for conversion or transfer of gold and conversion or transfer of gold.
Michael Jones (39 years old) pleaded innocently, but the jury found guilty for breaking.
The two played important roles in the “bold and naughty robbery,” said Judge Ian Pringle, who said, however, he could not be sure that Jones was really present at Break.
Sheen has been sentenced to four years in prison, but the sentence will start at the end of a separate sentence, for almost 20 years, which he currently executes for a series of thefts.
Jones was sentenced to 27 months in prison.
