GOLD RUSH
Blenheim Palace burglary – what was the stolen gold toilet worth, what else was stolen and has the perpetrator been caught?
THIEVES have stolen a solid gold toilet in a 5am raid at Blenheim Palace today.
But how much was the toilet worth and was anything else stolen? Here's what we know.
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What was the stolen gold toilet worth?
Thieves have stolen a £4.8million solid gold toilet in a 5am raid at Blenheim Palace.
It was warned that the toilet could be melted down by thieves.
And the palace's chief executive Dominic Hare today said he feared the fully-functioning masterpiece, created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, could be destroyed by opportunist thieves.
He told BBC 5 Live: "The sadness is that unlike most art, its constituent parts are valuable anyway so it's not out of the question it will be melted down".
Cops are searching for the loo swiped just two days after the 18-carat masterpiece went on display at Winston Churchill's birthplace in Woodstock, Oxon.
The fully-functioning 18-carat toilet went on display days ago - with viewers having to book a time slot in advance to see the popular installation.
It was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan and proved popular when it went on display at the Guggenheim museum in New York in 2016.
The masterpiece was once offered to President Donald Trump who turned it down.
A 66-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident but the toilet still hasn't been recovered.
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What else was stolen?
Detective Inspector Jess Milne, said: “The piece of art that has been stolen is a high value toilet made out of gold that was on display at the palace.
“Due to the toilet being plumbed in to the building, this has caused significant damage and flooding.
“We believe a group offenders used at least two vehicles during the offence.
“The artwork has not been recovered at this time but we are conducting a thorough investigation to find it and bring those responsible to justice.
“I am appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious in the area to contact police.
“You can call us on 101, quoting URN 273 (14/9), visit our website or visit a police station.”
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Where is Blenheim Palace?
Blenheim Palace, the residence of the Dukes of Marlborough, is an English country house located ear Woodstock, in Oxfordshire.
The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between 1705 and circa 1722 and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
The palace is also notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill.
Following the palace's completion, it became the home of the Churchill family for the next 300 years.
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