Astonishing theft at Churchill's palace. They took quite a fancy to it
9:41 AM EST, November 7, 2023
Four men who allegedly stole an 18-karat gold toilet from Blenheim Palace are set to face trial in November at an Oxford court, facing charges for the act committed four years ago. Besides the theft, the perpetrators will also be held accountable for the destruction caused at Winston Churchill's family home. By dismantling the valuable toilet bowl, they triggered a hydraulic failure.
The gold toilet, worth approximately $6.3 million, is a work of art by Maurizio Cattelan. It was stolen from Blenheim Palace, Churchill's residence, in September 2019.
The toilet artwork, a satire on America's baroque opulence, was dismantled at a time when the exhibition hosted a functional element. Exhibition guests could actually use the golden toilet for its intended purpose. A three-minute utilization limit was imposed to ensure all visitors had the chance to interact with the artistic creation.
It's no surprise that the thieves, in dislodging the artistic object, damaged the hydraulic system and caused flooding in the rooms of the historic 18th-century residence.
Lured by a golden toilet, they now face justice
As reported by The Guardian, the theft took everyone by surprise. Previously, Edward Spencer-Churchill, founder of the Blenheim Art Foundation, had stated that this artwork would not require security and could be left unguarded for viewers' contemplation, believing none would dare take it. His assumption turned out to be mistaken. The artist, meanwhile, was surprised that anyone would be tempted to execute such a foolish act.
The alleged thieves are four men aged between 35 and 39. Although they were apprehended by the police, they managed to achieve one aspect of their mission – investigators have failed to locate the looted item. There's a high probability that the metal from which the toilet was crafted has since been melted down and reshaped.
On Monday, the British Crown Prosecution Service announced criminal charges against the accused. The trial is scheduled to begin on November 28th in Oxford.
