Fact Check: During the heist, thieves took approximately 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of gold from the toilet, which was sold for £520,000 within two weeks.

Fact Check: "During the heist, thieves took approximately 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of gold from the toilet, which was sold for £520,000 within two weeks."

What We Know

In September 2019, a solid gold toilet, titled "America" and created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen from an exhibition at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill. The toilet, valued at approximately £4.8 million, was taken in a heist that lasted no more than five-and-a-half minutes, according to Judge Ian Pringle KC during the sentencing of the thieves, James 'Jimmy' Sheen and Michael Jones (BBC).

Following the theft, it was reported that Sheen sold about 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of gold, which constituted roughly one-fifth of the toilet's total weight, to an unknown buyer in Birmingham for £520,000 within two weeks of the heist (ABC). This transaction was confirmed during the trial, where it was revealed that Sheen had contacted a middleman shortly after the theft to facilitate the sale of the gold (Standard).

Analysis

The claim that thieves took approximately 20 kilograms of gold from the toilet and sold it for £520,000 is substantiated by multiple credible sources. The BBC reported that Sheen sold the gold within two weeks of the heist, and the amount of gold taken was indeed around 20 kilograms (BBC). Additionally, the ABC and other news outlets corroborated the details of the heist and the subsequent sale of the gold (ABC, NBC Right Now, Yahoo).

The sources used for this fact-check are reliable, including major news organizations like the BBC and ABC, which are known for their journalistic standards. The information provided by these outlets is consistent and aligns with the legal proceedings that followed the heist, including the convictions of Sheen and Jones for their roles in the crime (Standard, NBC Right Now).

While there are variations in the reported value of the toilet and the gold, the specifics regarding the quantity of gold taken and its sale price remain consistent across the sources. The discrepancy in the valuation of the toilet (ranging from £4.5 million to £9 million) does not affect the validity of the claim regarding the amount of gold and its sale price.

Conclusion

The claim that thieves took approximately 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of gold from the toilet and sold it for £520,000 within two weeks is True. This is supported by multiple credible sources that detail the events surrounding the heist and the subsequent actions of the thieves.

Sources

1. Gold toilet: Two men jailed for £4.8m Blenheim Palace heist
2. Two men jailed for stealing golden toilet from Winston Churchill's birthplace
3. Thief was ‘stressed’ trying to sell gold from Blenheim Palace toilet
4. Two UK men jailed for 'brazen' gold toilet heist
5. Men who stole $10m golden toilet sentenced to prison terms
6. Two UK men jailed for 'brazen' gold toilet heist
7. Two UK men jailed for 'brazen' gold toilet heist
8. Men who stole $6 million golden toilet from English