The jury condemns Thief who stole RM29Mil Golden I looks of the English Palace

London (AP): A thief who slid a golden bath for an English palace has been sentenced on Tuesday (March 18) along with an accomplice that helped take advantage of the loot of the 18 carat art work insured by almost £ 5mil (RM29mil).

Michael Jones had used the unique latrine in its kind, since he recognized at the Blenheim Palace, the country’s mansion where the British war leader Winston Churchill was born, the day before theft, prosecutors said.

He described the experience as “splendid.” He returned before dawn on September 14, 2019, with at least two other men armed with mallet and lever.

They broke a window and took the toilet out of their plumbing in five minutes, leaving a harmful flood while they escaped in stolen vehicles.

“This was a bold incursion that had been carefully planned and executed,” said prosecutor Shan Saunders.

“But those responsible were not careful enough, leaving a trace of evidence in the form of a forensic, CCTV images and phone data.” The purging bath has never recovered, but it is believed that it was cut and sold.

The satirical work, entitled “America” ​​by the Italian conceptual artist Maurizio Cattelan, made fun of excessive wealth.

It weighed just over 98 kg.

The value of gold at that time was £ 2.8mil.

The piece had previously been on the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

The museum had offered the work to the president of the United States, Donald Trump, during his first term after requested to borrow a painting by Van Gogh.

Jones, 39, was convicted of theft in Oxford Crown Court.

The theft was planned by James Sheen, 40, who previously declared himself guilty of theft, conspiracy and transfer of criminal properties.

Then, Sheen worked to negotiate an agreement with Fred Doe to take advantage of the tour, prosecutors said.

In a series of text messages, Sheen referred to the booty as a “car”, but he was actually talking about gold.

“I’ll link you with you, I have something on your way,” Sheen told Doe in a message.

“I can sell that car in two seconds … So they see me tomorrow,” Doe said in an answer.

Doe, 36, also known as Frederick Seles, was convicted of conspiracy to transfer criminal properties.

A fourth man accused in the conspiracy, Bora Guccuk, 41, was acquitted by the jurors. – AP