A toilet valued at more than $1 million was stolen from the birthplace of Winston Churchill over the weekend.
The 18-karat solid gold toilet was the work of Italian artist Maurizio Cattela and had been put into a London palace just two days before it was swiped. In its short time, it was a popular exhibit with visitors, who were able to book a three-minute “appointment” to use the toilet.
The toilet, according to Cattela, was satire for excessive wealth.
“Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise,” he has said previously.
A 66-year-old man has been arrested, but not charged in the case. Police say the thievery caused significant damage and flooding to the building and at least two vehicles were involved.
According to the Associated Press, the artist intended the golden toilet to be a pointed satire about excessive wealth. Cattelan has previously said: “Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise.”