Charges have been filed against four people for their involvement in the bold heist of an 18-carat gold toilet from Blenheim Palace. The theft occurred in 2019, and the toilet was part of an art installation. This luxurious commode, named 'America', worth an astonishing 4.8 million pounds (equivalent to around Rs 50 crore), was created by the acclaimed Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan. Blenheim Palace, a place of historical significance, holds the distinction of being the birthplace of the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Winston Churchill.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) announced that it had granted authorisation for criminal charges to be brought against four individuals. These four men are scheduled to appear at Oxford Magistrates' Court on the 28th of November.
According to The Sky News, the golden toilet was previously on display at New York's Guggenheim Museum in 2016, where visitors could use it while a member of security staff stood guard outside. The museum also once offered it to US President Donald Trump, who installed golden curtains when he moved into the White House.
The theft of this valuable and unconventional art installation has raised questions about the audacity and motivations behind such an act.
Dominic Hare, the chief executive of Blenheim Palace, told The Guardian that he hoped the "pointless" act of stealing would immortalise the work. He added that it was deeply ironic that the work "portraying the American dream" and the elite object made available to all were "instantly snatched away and hidden from view".
