British police have apprehended seven individuals believed to be connected to the audacious theft of a $6 million (Rs 42 crore) solid gold toilet humorously named ‘America’.
This extraordinary 18-karat toilet, initially displayed at New York’s Guggenheim Museum, caused quite a stir when it vanished from Blenheim Palace, Winston Churchill’s childhood home, four years ago.
Created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, the toilet was aptly named ‘America’ to satirize extravagance in the United States.
It was even open for public use at the Guggenheim, closely monitored by vigilant guards. In 2018, the toilet made headlines when the museum humorously offered to send it to the White House for then-President Donald Trump’s use.
Subsequently, this regal commode embarked on a tour, landing in the UK and being showcased at Blenheim Palace, a grand 187-room estate with ties to Winston Churchill.
After four years of mystery surrounding the toilet’s disappearance, the police have detained seven suspects, including a 38-year-old woman and six men aged between 38 and 68.
For the time being, they have been released pending further investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service to determine who is responsible for the toilet’s disappearance.
