UK Man Pleads Guilty To Theft Of Gold Toilet Worth Rs 50 Crore

A man has admitted to stealing a solid gold toilet worth 48,00000 pounds (Rs 50,36,23939) from Blenheim Palace, which is an over 300-year-old country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, according to The Guardian. The 18-carat lavatory was part of an art exhibition in September 2019.

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, as per the news outlet.

James "Jimmy" Sheen, 39, from Wellingborough, pleaded guilty to burglary, handling stolen goods, and conspiracy to commit burglary at Oxford Crown Court. The fully functional toilet was plumbed in during the exhibition, causing flooding and damaging the 18th-century palace in Woodstock, according to the news outlet.

Sheen is already serving a 17-year sentence for multiple thefts, including 400,000 pounds worth of tractors and trophies from the National Horse Racing Museum. Three other men have denied charges related to the toilet heist. They will go on trial in February 2025.

This is not the first instance when a golden toilet came to the news. In 2019, another golden toilet made headlines when a Hong Kong jeweller unveiled a diamond-studded gold toilet at the second China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai. This extravagant toilet, priced at a staggering 12 million yuan, or $1.3 million, captured attention for its opulence. While gold toilets are not unheard of, this particular one boasts a toilet seat crafted from bulletproof glass, encasing an impressive 40,815 small diamonds.