Solid gold toilet stolen from Britain's Blenheim Palace

LONDON - An 18-carat solid gold toilet that was part of an art exhibit was stolen early on Saturday from the magnificent home in England where British wartime leader Winston Churchill was born.

The toilet, valued at roughly 1 million pounds ($1.25 million), was the work of Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It had been installed only two days earlier at Blenheim Palace, west of London, after previously being shown to appreciative audiences at the Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Police said the toilet was taken early on Saturday by thieves who used at least two vehicles. Because it had been connected to the palace's plumbing system, police said the toilet's removal caused "significant damage and flooding" to the building, a UNESCO World Heritage site filled with valuable art and furniture.