Second man arrested in gold toilet burglary case

A second man has been arrested on suspicion of stealing an 18-carat solid gold toilet from Blenheim Palace valued at around £4.8 million.

The loo, named America and installed for an art exhibition at Sir Winston Churchill’s birthplace, was taken during a burglary in the early hours of Saturday, Thames Valley Police said.

The theft of the sculpture, from a wood-panelled room at the 18th Century Oxfordshire estate caused significant flood damage, as it had been plumbed in.

The force said yesterday a 36-year-old man from Cheltenham had been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to burgle and released under investigation.

This follows a 66-year-old man being arrested on suspicion of burglary and released on bail until October 9.

Detective Inspector Steven Jones, said: “We are continuing to investigate this incident and have made a second arrest in connection with it.

“Our priority is to locate the stolen item, and I would urge anyone with any information to contact police by calling 101.”

Blenheim Palace chief executive Dominic Hare said the artwork, by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan, is valued at about $6m million.