Four men charged after theft of gold toilet worth £4.8m from Blenheim Palace

Four men have been charged following the theft of a gold toilet worth £4.8m from Blenheim Palace.

The 18ct solid gold toilet was stolen from a wood panelled room inside the stately home in Woodstock, Oxfordshire in September 2019.

James Sheen, 39, has been charged with one count of burglary, one count of conspiracy to transfer criminal property and one count of transferring criminal property.

Michael Jones, 38, has been charged with one count of burglary.

Fred Doe, 35, and Bora Guccuk, 39, have both been charged with one count of conspiracy to transfer criminal property.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Shan Saunders from the Crown Prosecution Service said: “The CPS has authorised charges in relation to the theft of a gold toilet from Blenheim Palace in 2019.

“Criminal proceedings against James Sheen, Michael Jones, Fred Doe and Bora Guccuk are now active and they each have the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

The four men will appear at Oxford Magistrates' Court on 28 November 2023.