Condemned: thieves of the golden toilet - where is America?

Condemned: thieves of the golden toilet - where is America?

Blenheim Palace, Großbritannien - A British man was convicted of his participation in the theft of an extraordinary toilet, which is made of 18-carat gold. The artwork, which is entitled "America" ​​and was created by the Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen from the Blenheim Palace in 2019. The insurance value of the toilet was around £ 4.75 million (5.64 million euros). This extraordinary installation was presented in an exhibition at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill.

The court found that the 39-year-old man was involved during the sale of parts of the stolen gold. In his defense, he explained that his good -naturedness was exploited. Another man had already been guilt regarding theft, while the sentence is still pending for both. In addition, two other men are charged with help with the sale of gold - one of them was also spoken guilty.

the whereabouts of the golden work of art

To date, the golden toilet has disappeared. Investigators suspect that it may have been cut or melted down, which makes it difficult to search for traces. The artwork was previously exhibited in the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016 and was used by the visitors for a maximum of three minutes. Directly opposite Churchill's birth room it was a popular attraction in the Blenheim Palace and attracted numerous visitors.

The theft of the Golden Klos is reminiscent of a similar case from 2017 when a 100 kilogram gold coin was stolen from the Berlin Bode Museum. Here, too, the stolen artwork remained mysteriously disappeared.

The incidents also make a highlight of the challenges of the security of valuable works of art and the protection of cultural assets in times of creativity and crime. The investigation into the whereabouts of the Golden Klos will continue, while the public hopes for further information.

For more details about the case, the Kleine Zeitung to the latest developments and n-tv offers comprehensive background information on the bizarre incident.