Two UK men jailed for ‘brazen’ gold toilet heist

LONDON: Two men who smashed their way into an historic English property and ripped out a £4.5 million ($6 million) solid-gold toilet were on Friday jailed for their part in the theft.

James Sheen, 40, and Michael Jones, 39, were jailed at Oxford Crown Court in central England for four years and 27 months respectively. The sentences came as it was revealed that Sheen is already serving 19 years in jail for a string of other offences including a museum burglary and attacks on cash machines.

The fully functioning 18-carat artwork was stolen in a raid on an exhibition at Blenheim Palace -- the birthplace of Winston Churchill -- near central Oxford in September 2019. The toilet artwork dubbed “America” was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and had been on display as one of the star attractions at an exhibition in the 18th-century home.

Passing sentence, Judge Ian Pringle said: “This bold and brazen heist took no more than five-and-a-half minutes to complete. “America has never been seen again.” Weighing around 98 kilograms (216 pounds), the artwork was insured for $6 million and was made with 20 kilograms of gold valued at around £2.8 million.

It was stolen just hours after a glamorous exhibition launch party by the sledgehammer-wielding thieves. Prosecutors said the work was likely broken up or melted down and sold soon after the theft. The gold has not been recovered.

It is believed that Sheen took the 20 kilos of gold to the Birmingham Jewellery Quarter on September 2019 and sold it for £26,000 a kilogram -- earning £520,000. Jurors heard earlier that Sheen first got in touch with a third man, Frederick Doe, two days after the raid to ask if he could help him sell some of the gold.

Doe replied to Sheen in a WhatsApp message: “I do know just the man you need to see.” The 37-year-old, described by a judge as a “foolish” middleman, escaped jail for his role in the heist.

He was handed a suspended sentenced last month after being found guilty of conspiracy to transfer criminal property. Jones previously said he used the toilet at Blenheim Palace the day before it was taken. Asked what it was like, he told the court it was “splendid”.