A £4.8 million solid gold toilet, an audacious five-minute raid, and a gang of thieves who left authorities baffled—this real-life crime sounds like something straight out of a Hollywood script.
But it happened at Blenheim Palace, Winston Churchill’s birthplace, and now, after years of investigation, some of those responsible have finally been convicted.
Michael Jones, 39, has been found guilty of burglary, while Fred Doe, 36, was convicted of attempting to sell the stolen gold.
Their convictions follow that of James Sheen, 40, who had already pleaded guilty to burglary.
Meanwhile, a fourth suspect, Bora Guccuk, 41, was acquitted of any involvement in converting or transferring the stolen gold.
Despite these convictions, many questions remain unanswered—most notably, where the golden toilet ended up and why police have struggled to track down the other culprits.
The Daring Five-Minute Operation
The stolen toilet, titled America, was an artwork by satirical artist Maurizio Cattelan.
It had been installed at Blenheim Palace as part of an exhibition in September 2019, with visitors even encouraged to use it.
However, just two days after its unveiling, a gang of five men stormed the palace grounds in stolen vehicles, their heist caught on dramatic CCTV footage.
Equipped with sledgehammers and crowbars, three of the thieves smashed their way through a window, grabbed the 18-carat golden toilet, and rolled it towards one of their getaway cars.
The sheer weight of the toilet caused the vehicle to visibly sag before they sped off into the night.
A Vanishing Act: What Happened to the Gold?
Police suspect the golden toilet was melted down within hours of the heist, making it nearly impossible to trace.
No recovered fragments, no leads on the bullion dealers who bought it, and no sign of the remaining burglars—despite a five-year-long investigation.
Authorities revealed that Sheen had boasted in a message to Doe about making £520,000 from selling his share of the gold to an unidentified jeweler in Birmingham.
He even shared a photo of a large pile of cash as proof.
Jones, who worked for Sheen’s construction company, was caught on camera scouting Blenheim Palace days before the heist.
His reconnaissance included taking photos of the golden toilet, the window used for the break-in, and even the lock on the cubicle door.
In court, he claimed he had simply been admiring the extravagant toilet, calling the experience of using it “splendid.”
Prosecutors, however, argued that he was deeply involved in the burglary itself.
A Web of Criminal Connections
Fred Doe, who had deep ties in the jewelry business through Hatton Garden, allegedly joined the scheme when he learned Sheen had stolen the toilet.
Doe, formerly known as Fred Sines, is the son of multimillionaire caravan tycoon Maurice “Fred” Sines, a man with alleged links to Ireland’s Kinahan organized crime clan.
Shortly after the burglary, Doe reached out to Guccuk, a jeweler who ran Pacha of London in Hatton Garden, to broker the sale of the stolen gold.
However, whether the transaction was completed remains unclear. Prosecutors believe Sheen may have ultimately sold the gold in Birmingham instead.
Adding to the mystery, a man named Carl Davies was identified in court as another key figure in the crime.
He was allegedly the first to contact Doe about the stolen gold and was present when Sheen sold his share.
Despite his apparent involvement, Davies has not been charged, leading to questions about the police investigation.
Why Haven’t the Other Thieves Been Caught?
During the trial, defense lawyer Crispin Aylett KC raised concerns about why Davies and other burglars were not facing justice.
He pointed out that phone records placed Sheen at a caravan park where Davies lived, just minutes after the burglary.
“Carl Davies seems to be in this up to his neck,” Aylett remarked, questioning why the police had not arrested him.
Authorities admitted they had arrested multiple suspects throughout the years but claimed there was insufficient evidence to charge anyone beyond the four men who stood trial.
The Hunt for the Missing Millions
Even though none of the stolen gold has been recovered, police are determined to seize assets from the convicted criminals through the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Thames Valley Police has confirmed an ongoing financial investigation into Sheen and his associates, hoping to trace and recover any wealth gained from the heist.
A police spokesperson stated, “We believe that within hours of being stolen, the toilet was taken to multiple locations, melted down, and sold off through various channels.
This makes the gold highly difficult to trace, but if new information comes to light, we will act upon it.”
What’s Next?
Doe is set to be sentenced on May 12, while Sheen and Jones will receive their sentences at a later date.
Meanwhile, authorities continue to investigate the wider network involved in the theft, particularly the missing gang members and the bullion merchants who may have profited from the stolen gold.
Prosecutors have called the crime “audacious” and emphasized that while the golden toilet may never be found, the convictions have at least disrupted a larger money-laundering operation.
As for the fate of America, the world may never see the extravagant artwork again.
However, the bizarre story of its theft will remain one of the most daring—and baffling—heists in modern history.