An Oxford court sentenced two individuals for their involvement in the 2019 theft of a gold toilet valued at 4.75 million from Blenheim Palace. The artwork, titled "America" by Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen by a five-man gang. One member, James Sheen, received a four-year sentence to run concurrently with his existing prison term. The second, Michael Jones, received 27 months for his reconnaissance role prior to the theft. The gold toilet has not been recovered since its theft, and parts of it were reportedly melted down and sold.
The theft of the fully functioning golden toilet entitled 'America' highlighted issues of ostentatious consumerism, with the artwork eliciting a wide range of public and media response.
James Sheen, one defendant sentenced for the heist, had already been granted substantial prison time for unrelated crimes, hinting at his lengthy criminal background.
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