Dubbed “America” and worth up to $1.8 million, the fully-functioning 18-carat gold toilet was once displayed at New York’s Guggenheim museum and offered on loan to US President Donald Trump.
A 66-year-old man has been arrested over the theft at the 18th-century stately home in Oxfordshire, which caused significant flooding at the World Heritage Site and birthplace of wartime leader Winston Churchill.
“The offenders broke into the palace overnight and left the scene at about 4:50 am,” local police said, adding that no one was injured in the incident.
The palace was closed on Saturday morning “due to an unforeseen incident”, although the park remained open.
Prior to the theft, visitors to the Cattelan exhibition could book a three-minute appointment to use the toilet.
When the work was on display at the Guggenheim, more than 100,000 people lined up to use the loo during the course of a year.
While an arrest has been made, the toilet is yet to be recovered.
“The artwork has not been recovered at this time but we are conducting a thorough investigation to find it and bring those responsible to justice,” police said.
