Golden Toilet Thieves Finally Sentenced
Two of the five men involved in the theft of a golden toilet in 2019 have finally been sentenced to prison, nearly six years after the crime.
The unique artwork, made by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was crafted from 18-karat gold and weighed 196 pounds. When it was stolen, the toilet was worth around $6 million (₱340 million). It was fully functional and displayed at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England, near the room where former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was born.
Although it could be used, the golden toilet was created as a piece of satirical art, symbolizing the excesses of wealth. Sadly, it was never recovered. Authorities believe it was broken apart and sold for its gold.
On June 13, 2025, the Oxford Crown Court sentenced 40-year-old roofer James Sheen to four years in prison. He pleaded guilty to theft, conspiracy, and handling criminal property. His co-worker, 39-year-old Michael Jones, was also sentenced to two years and three months in prison. The outcome for the remaining three suspects was not mentioned in reports.
The golden toilet, titled America, was first displayed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016. The artwork made headlines for its bold message about luxury and extravagance. Its creator, Maurizio Cattelan, is also known for another controversial piece—a banana duct-taped to a wall. That artwork went viral again in 2023 after a student ate the banana during an exhibit in South Korea.
After the theft in September 2019, authorities said the thieves used force to remove the toilet from the floor, causing damage. The case took years to progress. It wasn’t until 2023 that police submitted the necessary documents to the Crown Prosecution Service to move forward with the trial.
A reward of $129,000 (₱7.3 million) was offered to anyone who could help recover the stolen toilet—but to this day, it has never been found.