(Bloomberg) -- Burglars overnight broke into England's Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, and stole an 18-karat gold toilet on display as part of an art exhibition.
The thieves took the “high-value” item, causing significant damage and flooding, and left just before 5 a.m., according to a statement Saturday from Thames Valley Police. A 66-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the incident, but the piece of art hasn't been recovered, police said.
The functioning gold toilet is the work of Italy's Maurizio Cattelan, whose art is being featured at the palace. The site is closed due to an “unforeseen incident,” its website shows. Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site, is a more than 300-year-old mansion where World War II leader Churchill was born in 1874.
Visitors were welcome to use the 2016 piece, titled “America,” during their visit, according to the Blenheim Art Foundation's website. The exhibition opened Thursday and is scheduled to run until Oct. 27. Time slots to visit the toilet were no longer available to book on Saturday.
Police are carrying out a “thorough investigation to find it and bring those responsible to justice,” according to the statement. Police believe the burglars used at least two vehicles and are “appealing to anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious” to contact them.
To contact the reporter on this story: James Paton in London at jpaton4@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Eric Pfanner at epfanner1@bloomberg.net, Sara Marley, James Amott
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