In an unusual case that has grabbed a lot of attention, an 18-carat gold toilet called "America," made by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, was stolen from Blenheim Palace in September 2019. This one-of-a-kind piece of art weighed about 98 kilograms and was insured for a whopping $6 million (£4.75 million). During a trial at Oxford Crown Court, the prosecution shared these details to show just how bold the theft was and how valuable the artwork is.

The theft happened early on September 14, 2019, when a group of thieves with sledgehammers broke into Blenheim Palace, which is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. The prosecution said that the burglars took the gold toilet in just five minutes. This toilet was not just a piece of art; it was also fully functional, which made it even more special and valuable. At the time it was stolen, the gold alone was estimated to be worth around £2.8 million.

Michael Jones, a 39-year-old from Oxford, has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the theft. He is joined by two other defendants, Frederick Sines (also known as Frederick Doe) and Bora Guccuk, who have denied conspiracy charges about the stolen property. The court learned that the thieves left their sledgehammers behind, showing that they were in a hurry but had planned the operation well.

Prosecutor Julian Christopher KC explained how the burglary was carefully planned. The thieves arrived at Blenheim Palace in two stolen cars, drove past locked gates, and went straight to where the toilet was located. They broke down the door to the bathroom and took the toilet, causing water to spill everywhere as they escaped. Even though the crime was bold, the gold toilet has never been found. Prosecutor Christopher believes it was taken apart and sold in smaller pieces. One of the defendants, James Sheen, has already admitted to burglary and conspiracy charges, which means the investigation is still going on. The trial continues as jurors look at the evidence and witness statements about this strange theft.

Original news source: Thieves stole £2.8m gold toilet at Blenheim Palace in just five minutes, court hears (Sky News)

– CHARADES
Instructions: In groups, students will take turns acting out different phrases related to the article without speaking. Examples include "gold toilet," "Blenheim Palace," and "thieves with sledgehammers." The rest of the group will guess the phrases.
– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Students will discuss the question, "Is art more valuable as a functional object or a purely aesthetic one?" They will take a poll in class, share their opinions, and briefly explain their reasoning to their peers.
– ARTICLE TIMELINE
Instructions: In pairs, students will create a timeline of the key events from the article. They should identify at least five major events and write them in chronological order on a piece of paper, then share their timelines with the class.
– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Students will work in small groups to come up with a catchy headline for the article. They should aim to summarize the key points of the theft in a creative and engaging way, then present their headlines to the class.
– MIND MAP
Instructions: Individually or in pairs, students will create a mind map about the article. They should include the main topic (the theft of the gold toilet) and branch out to include details such as the location, the thieves, the value of the toilet, and the ongoing investigation. Afterward, they can share their mind maps with the class.

In an unusual case that has grabbed a lot of attention, an 18-carat gold toilet called "America," made by Italian artist Maurizio ?, was stolen from Blenheim Palace in ? 2019. This one-of-a-kind piece of art weighed about 98 kilograms and was insured for a whopping $6 million (£4.75 million). During a trial at Oxford Crown Court, the prosecution shared these details to show just how bold the ? was and how ? the artwork is. The theft happened early on September 14, 2019, when a ? of thieves with ? broke into Blenheim Palace, which is the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. The prosecution said that the burglars took the gold ? in just five minutes. This toilet was not just a piece of art; it was also fully ?, which made it even more special and valuable. At the time it was stolen, the gold alone was estimated to be worth around £2.8 million. Michael Jones, a 39-year-old from Oxford, has pleaded not guilty to charges related to the theft. He is joined by two ? defendants, Frederick Sines (also known as Frederick Doe) and Bora ?, who have denied conspiracy charges about the stolen ?. The court learned that the thieves left their sledgehammers behind, showing that they were in a hurry but had planned the operation well. Prosecutor Julian Christopher KC explained how the burglary was carefully planned. The thieves ? at Blenheim Palace in two stolen cars, drove past locked gates, and went straight to where the toilet was located. They broke down the door to the bathroom and took the toilet, causing water to spill everywhere as they ?. Even though the crime was bold, the gold toilet has never been found. Prosecutor Christopher believes it was taken apart and sold in smaller pieces. One of the defendants, James ?, has already admitted to ? and ? charges, which means the investigation is still going on. The trial continues as jurors look at the evidence and witness statements about this strange theft.

1. What is your opinion on art that is also functional, like the gold toilet in the article?
2. How would you feel if a piece of art you loved was stolen?
3. Do you think stealing art is different from stealing other valuable items? Why or why not?
4. What is a piece of art you would consider valuable?
5. How would you react if you were a witness to a bold crime like the one described?
6. Do you like the idea of having unusual art pieces in public places? Why or why not?
7. What do you think motivates people to steal valuable items like the gold toilet?
8. How would you feel if you were an artist and your work was stolen?
9. Do you think the punishment for theft should be different for art compared to other items? Why?
10. What is a famous artwork or sculpture you admire, and why do you like it?
11. How would you feel if you found out that a piece of art was actually worth millions?
12. Do you think the value of an artwork is determined by its materials or its meaning? Why?
13. What is your opinion on the idea of art being insured for such high amounts?
14. How would you react if you learned that a friend was involved in a crime like this?
15. Do you think this strange theft will change how people view art in the future? Why or why not?

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