THE ARTIST WHOSE solid gold toilet was stolen from the UK’s Blenheim Palace has denied that he was behind the theft, which some have suggested is simply a Banksy-style prank. 

The Italian artist, named Maurizio Cattelan, told the New York Times that he initially thought the news of the theft of his golden toilet, called “America”, was a prank. 

“Who’s so stupid to steal a toilet? I had forgotten for a second that it was made out of gold,” he said, adding: “I wish it was a prank.”

Cattelan said he hoped it had been taken in a “Robin Hood-inspired action”. 

“I want to be positive and think the robbery is a kind of Robin Hood-inspired action,” he said. 

Robbers broke into the palace overnight and left the scene at 4.50am, and the alarm was raised just a few minutes later at 4.57am. 

No one was injured during the burglary, but a 66-year-old man has been arrested.

The chief executive of Blenheim Palace, Dominic Hare, confirmed that the toilet had been valued at around $5 to $6 million.

The palace is the birthplace of former British prime minister Winston Churchill, and attracts thousands of visitors a year.

Hare told the BBC that it was “not out of the question [that it] would be melted down” by the thieves.

The gang, who had at least two vehicles, left behind flooding that damaged the building.

With additional reporting from - © AFP 2019