This archive report was first published on 16 September 2019.
On September 14, 2019, a solid gold toilet was stolen from Britain's Blenheim Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the birthplace of wartime leader Winston Churchill.
Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, who created the 18-carat gold work, "America," expressed hope that it was taken in a "Robin Hood-inspired action," where the thieves intended to redistribute the wealth to those in need.
"Who's so stupid to steal a toilet? I had forgotten for a second that it was made out of gold," Cattelan told the New York Times, adding that he wished it was a prank.
The toilet, valued at around $5 to $6 million, was only put on display at the English stately home on Thursday, September 12, 2019.
Blenheim Palace chief executive Dominic Hare revealed that the palace had a sophisticated security system, but acknowledged that it was not enough to prevent the theft.
Police arrested a 66-year-old man who remains in custody, and said they were still following a number of lines of enquiry.
