An impressive solid gold toilet worth well over $1 million has been stolen from the birthplace of former UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill, CTV News reported.
The pricey potty had been installed as part of an art exhibit at the lavish Blenheim Palace in England when it was burglarized early Saturday morning.
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Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan crafted the toilet dubbed “America”, which was originally installed at the Guggenheim museum in New York City in 2016.
Made entirely of 18-carat gold, the fully functional throne is worth $1.25 million and is, as Cattelan described, “1% art for the 99%.”
He previously told The Guardian , “It holds out the promise of a quintessential American dream – access to opportunity and development for all – while making visible what is not attainable for most: gold.”
Just last week, the toilet was uprooted and plumbed into Blenheim Palace, right next to the very room where Churchill was born.
Originally due to appear on display at the palace from September 15 until October 27, the toilet was stolen just two days after it had been installed.
Police suspect the toilet was taken early Saturday by thieves using at least two vehicles. Because of its connection to the palace plumbing system, uprooting the toilet caused “significant damage and flooding” to the historical building, which houses many valuable art pieces and furniture.
The palace confirmed the buglurary on Saturday with a tweet expressing their disappointment at the loss of the toilet.
A follow-up tweet asks for the public’s help in finding the thieves, and requesting that anyone who might have any information at all regarding the burglary to contact local police.
Saturday’s theft comes after Edward Spencer-Churchill commented that the toilet would be difficult to steal.
He dismissed security concerns, telling reporters that since it would be fully connected to the palace’s plumbing system, anyone attempting to snatch the toilet would find it to be a nearly impossible task. He added that “a potential thief will have no idea who last used the toilet or what they ate.”
“So no, I don’t plan to be guarding it,” he said.
h/t: CTV News , The Guardian
