Another Banksy artwork has been stolen in London; this time-not part of his animal-themed mural stints.
Earlier this week, The Guardian reported that Banksy's 'Girl with Balloon' artwork was part of a burglary in Grove Gallery, London. Documents found that burglars, James Love and Larry Fraser, broke into the site and stole the painting.
Charges for Banksy's 'Girl with Balloon' Thieves
Now, while the artwork was already recovered and the thieves were posted with bail on Thursday, ART News shared that they will be meeting the court on October 9 to face non-residential burglary charges.
The suspects were identified on CCTV footage. Both dressed in black and face covered, the pair damaged the gallery with a heavy object before taking off the specific painting-leading to believe that it was a targeted move.
Last month, Design Times learned that Banksy had one of his animal-themed murals stolen as well, although no charges were handed.
COLOGNE, GERMANY - MAY 09: A visitor views the Banksy works 'Girl With Balloon' during the exhibition "The Mystery of Banksy - A Genius Mind" on May 09, 2024 in Cologne, Germany. (Photo : Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)About Banksy's 'Girl with Balloon' Artwork
In London, Banksy's 'Girl with Balloon' deserved its place in curated galleries due to its history over the years. It was created by the artist in 2002 and first appeared around East London's wall and eventually became a spray paint under the Waterloo Bridge.
The Guardian also stated that Banksy made limited-edition hand-sprayed and printed versions that sold for hundreds of thousands. A framed copy was sold in 2018 for more than £1M ($1.3M) and was in a dramatic stage scene, where a hammer fell through the canvas and was dropped into a shredder.
The bidder kept their purchase and retitled the shredded print 'Love is in the Bin.' In 2021, Sotheby's held an auction for the shredded work and sold for £18.5M ($24.2M)