A British man, James Sheen, 39, has pleaded guilty to stealing an 18-carat golden toilet that was part of an art exhibition in England, causing significant damage and flooding due to its connection to the palace plumbing system, police said. Sheen, who is already serving a 17-year sentence for multiple thefts, including ATM burglaries, admitted to charges of burglary, conspiracy to transfer criminal property, and transferring criminal property at the Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday.
The stolen toilet, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and titled “America,” was part of an art installation at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of former prime minister Winston Churchill. The piece was a fully functioning toilet that was predicted to attract at least 6,000 visitors, with over 100,000 people using it during a previous exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.
Three other men, Michael Jones, Fred Doe, and Bora Guccuk, have been charged in connection to the golden toilet theft and have pleaded not guilty. They are set for trial on Feb. 24, 2025. The theft of the valuable toilet, which was connected to the palace’s plumbing system, caused damage and flooding, with police speculating that the burglars used at least two vehicles in the heist.
This incident is not the first time Cattelan’s work has made headlines, as the artist previously created a duct-taped banana that was displayed at Art Basel in Miami and later eaten by artist David Datuna. The stolen golden toilet remains a subject of intrigue and controversy in the art world.
