A thief who slipped a golden toilet from an English palace was convicted Tuesday along with an associate who helped in money in the spoils of the 18 -carat artwork for about $ 6 million.
Michael Jones had used a fully functioning laterine of one kind, while he made the discovery at the Benheim Palace of the country, where British Winston Churchill was born. He described the experience as “excellent”.
He returned before dawn in September. 14, 2019, with at least two other men armed with sledgehammers and crowbars. They smhed a window and pledged the toilet from its bullet within five minutes, leaves a flood of damage on their doorstep as they escaped in stolen vehicles.
“This was a bold attack that was carefully planned and executed,” prosecutor Shan Saunders said. “But those who are responsible were not careful enough, leaves a trace of evidence in the form of forensic medicine, CCTV footage and phone data.”
The cleaned pot is never known, but it is believed to have been cut and sold.
The satirical work, entitled “America” by the Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, made fun in excessive wealth. It weighed just over 215 pounds. The gold value at that time was $ 3.6 million.
The part had previously appeared at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The museum had offered work to US President Donal Trump during his first term in office after he had sought to borrow a Van Gogh painting.
Jones, 39, was convicted of theft at Oxford Crown Court.
The theft was planned by James Sheen, 40, who previously pleaded guilty to theft, plot and transfer of criminal assets.
Sheen then worked to mediate an agreement with Fred Doe for cash in charge, prosecutors said. In a series of text messages, Sheen referred to the loot as a “car”, but he was actually talking about gold.
“I will connect with ya, I got something right until your caress,” Sheen Doe told a message.
“I can sell that car for you in two seconds … so come to see me tomorrow,” DOE said in a response.
DOE, 36, also known as Frederick Sines, was convicted of a plot for the transfer of criminal assets.
A fourth man accused in the plot, Bora Guccu, 41, was released by lawyers.
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