Fact Check: "Within two weeks of the heist, James 'Jimmy' Sheen sold 20 kg of gold, approximately one fifth of the toilet's weight, to an unknown buyer in Birmingham for £520,000."
What We Know
The claim states that James 'Jimmy' Sheen sold 20 kg of gold, which is approximately one fifth of the weight of a stolen gold toilet, within two weeks of the heist. This assertion is supported by multiple credible sources. According to a report by the BBC, Sheen sold the gold to an unknown buyer in Birmingham for £520,000 shortly after the theft. The heist involved the theft of an 18-carat solid gold toilet, valued at £4.8 million, from an exhibition at Blenheim Palace in September 2019. Sheen's involvement in the crime was confirmed during his trial, where he pleaded guilty to charges including burglary and transferring criminal property (Yahoo).
Analysis
The evidence supporting the claim is robust. The BBC article provides a detailed account of the heist and subsequent events, including Sheen's sale of the gold. The source is a reputable news organization known for its journalistic integrity, which lends credibility to the information presented. Additionally, the report includes direct quotes from legal authorities and prosecutors involved in the case, further substantiating the timeline and details of the sale.
Moreover, the Yahoo report corroborates the BBC's findings, reiterating that Sheen sold 20 kg of gold to an unknown buyer for £520,000 within two weeks of the theft. This consistency across multiple reliable sources strengthens the validity of the claim.
While there are other articles that mention the heist, such as those from AOL and France24, they primarily echo the same details without introducing new or conflicting information. Therefore, the reliability of the sources is high, and the evidence presented is consistent.
Conclusion
Verdict: True. The claim that James 'Jimmy' Sheen sold 20 kg of gold, approximately one fifth of the toilet's weight, to an unknown buyer in Birmingham for £520,000 within two weeks of the heist is substantiated by credible sources. The details provided by both the BBC and Yahoo confirm the timeline and specifics of the transaction, affirming the accuracy of the claim.
