Police hunting more gold toilet heist gang members

The other burglars involved in the theft of a £4.8m gold toilet are still being hunted following the convictions of two of the gang, police have said.

Thieves smashed their way into Blenheim Palace and ripped out the toilet hours after a glamorous launch party at the Oxfordshire stately home in September 2019.

Michael Jones was found guilty on Tuesday of planning the burglary and Fred Doe was convicted of conspiring to sell the gold. Ringleader James Sheen previously pled guilty to the theft.

Det Supt Bruce Riddel said it was clear there had been "others involved" in the crime.

Five men were seen on CCTV carrying out the heist, but only two, Sheen and Jones, have ever been caught.

Within days of the robbery the artwork, called America, had been broken up and sold on, the court previously heard. None of the gold has been recovered.

It is believed Sheen moved some of the gold through other criminal contacts in Birmingham and tried to sell some in London's Hatton Garden through Doe, who is from Windsor in Berkshire.

Speaking outside court following the verdicts, Det Supt Riddell said: "As part of the investigation, a number of other arrests were made, but further charges could not be brought at this time."

He urged anyone who may have new information regarding those involved to contact the force.

Throughout the "complex investigation", the force had made "multiple arrests" and "investigated numerous scenes across the country", he said.

Gang kingpin Sheen, from Oxford, pleaded guilty last year after police found his DNA at the scene and gold fragments in his clothing.

He was described in court as the "common denominator", having been charged with planning and transferring criminal property, as well as burglary.

Det Supt Riddell said it was "clear" Sheen was the man behind the theft.

Following the convictions, the BBC revealed his full criminal history.

Sheen has been jailed at least six times since 2005 and has led organised crime groups that made more than £5m from fraud and theft - money authorities have largely failed to recover.

"It is clear that Sheen has only one intent, and that is to steal money and property regardless of the impact it has on others and communities," Det Supt Riddell said.

He added that Thames Valley Police would "look to exploit every opportunity we can to recover assets made from the Blenheim burglary".

A fourth man, Bora Guccuk, was cleared of conspiring to sell the gold at Tuesday's hearing.

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