Jones Guilty in £4.75m Blenheim Gold Heist

Michael Jones has been found guilty of stealing a £4.75 million gold toilet from Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, in a daring heist that took place in September 2019. The toilet, a fully-functional artwork by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan titled 'America,' was stolen by a gang of five men who used stolen vehicles to break into the palace. Jones, who had denied using previous visits to the site for reconnaissance, was convicted of burglary at Oxford Crown Court. James Sheen, identified as the mastermind, had already pleaded guilty to burglary and conspiracy to sell the gold. Fred Doe was found guilty of conspiracy to transfer criminal property, while Bora Guccuk was acquitted. The stolen toilet has never been recovered, with police suspecting it was melted down and sold off in parts shortly after the theft.