Two men from Oxford were imprisoned for theft of the golden toilets of 4.8 million GBP ($ 6.5 million). The crime occurred during an art show at Blenheim Palace in 2019.
Fixed 18 carat golden toilet is called America. It was stolen just after the start of the party in the palace.
The works of art were created by Italian visual artist Maurizio Cattelan, who became popular after the creation of a viral work of the fresh banana canal found on the wall.
James Sheen, 40 years old, admitted burglary and sold stolen gold. Michael Jones, 39, was found guilty of burglary, the BBC reported.
Sheen was sentenced to four years and Jones got two years and three months. The court called it a “bold and insolent” theft that lasted just over five minutes.
Sheen’s DNA, the golden pieces in his dress and the news on the phone helped him condemn.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Shan Saunders said it is rare to find so much information on one phone. During the court proceedings, the jurors heard the voice remarks from Sheen to Fred Doe, who was previously found guilty of planning to sell the stolen golden toilet.
The news was hard to understand because they used coded words, Roma slang and cockney rhyming slang. Sheen used a “car” as a gold code.
“The car is what a friend is, Innit? The car is as good as money,” the BBC quoted.
Just two weeks after the theft, Sheen sold 20 kg of gold for 520,000 GBP ($ 707,200). He had a long criminal past, and has been imprisoned at least six times since 2005.
Sheen has been serving for 19 years for other crimes and will now serve for another four years for this robbery. Jones, who has a criminal past, visited Blenheim Palace twice before theft.
On Sheen’s order he booked a slot for using the toilet, photographed and checked the layout. Later he called the golden toilet “great”.
James Sheen, MasterMind
Judge Ian Pringle KC said that Jones helped plan to plan by mapping the fastest way in and out. The detective superintendent Bruce Riddell called Sheen Mastermind, who wanted to “earn money in any necessary means”.
“Jones also played a key role in burglary when he performed two recites at Blenheim Palace in the days leading to burglary, and it is our belief that he was there at night,” Riddell said.
(Tagstotranslate) South America
