Confusion as Toilet declared missing in Royal palace
In Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, England, stately home to former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, an 18- carat gold toilet has been stolen.
The toilet that’s Valued at £1 million and installed as part of an art exhibition at Blenheim Palace, the 18-carat toilet was stolen in the early hours of Saturday, Thames Valley Police said
The theft of the fully functioning piece, named America and designed by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, caused significant flood damage at the 18th-century Oxfordshire estate as it had been installed for visitors to use.
The theft was reported to police minutes after the thieves left at around 4.50am. A 66 year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident.
The theft happened after the Duke’s brother Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill, said he had no plans to guard the fully-working piece Thames Valley Police said they would not comment if the Lord’s comments may have inspired the burglars.
There are reports that, more than 100,000 people made use of its “participatory nature” at the Fifth Avenue museum between 2016 and 2017, making available to the public “an extravagant luxury product seemingly intended for the 1%,”
Detective Inspector Jess Milne said: “The artwork has not been recovered at this time, but we are conducting a thorough investigation to find it and bring those responsible to justice.”
The palace was built in the early 18th century and is the ancestral home of the Dukes of Marlborough. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
The golden toilet, which was created in 2016 for the New York Guggenheim museum, was installed at the palace for an exhibition which started on Thursday.
