Two men jailed for stealing a €6 million gold-plated toilet from Churchill's birthplace

Two men were jailed Friday for stealing an 18-carat gold toilet that was on display as an artwork at an exhibition at Winston Churchill's birthplace.

The fully functioning toilet, a work titled "America" ​​by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen from Churchill's family residence at Blenheim Palace in southern England, a major tourist attraction and UNESCO World Heritage Site .

Prosecutor Julian Christopher told the jury at the start of the trial at Oxford Crown Court in February that a group of five men drove two stolen vehicles through locked wooden gates into the palace grounds before dawn on September 14, 2019.

They entered through a window, broke down a wooden door , ripped the toilet out of the wall, and left after five minutes in the building.

The toilet, weighing 98 kilos (216 pounds), was insured for $6 million. Prosecutors claim it was likely divided into small amounts of gold for sale. None of the gold has ever been recovered.

James Sheen, 40, pleaded guilty before trial to robbery, conspiracy to convert or transfer gold, and conversion or transfer of gold.

Michael Jones, 39, was found guilty of robbery by a jury after pleading not guilty.

Judge Ian Pringle said both men played a significant role in the "bold and brazen robbery," although the judge said he could not guarantee that Jones was present during the robbery.

Sheen was sentenced to four years in prison, which will begin at the end of a nearly 20-year prison sentence he's currently serving for a series of robberies. Jones was sentenced to 27 months in prison.