Two suspects have been charged in connection with the theft of a Banksy piece from a central London art gallery. Grove Gallery was reportedly burgled on the evening of Sunday, October 3rd, with only the artwork Girl with Balloon taken. The piece has since been recovered and Larry Fraser, 47, and James Love, 53, appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday. The pair are scheduled to appear at Kingston Crown Court on 9 October.
Grove Gallery held an exhibition from 21 August to 7 September entitled Banksy’s London Rebellion, which showcased works by the guerrilla artist. Girl with Balloon appeared behind the gallery’s entrance door, as visible on a virtual tour on the gallery’s website. The gallery disclosed to BBC News that the art on display during the theft amounted to more than £1.8m.
Girl with Balloon is part of a series of paintings and stencils by Banksy. One version was partially shredded in 2018 and sold for over £1m. It was rated the UK’s most popular artwork in a poll of 2,000 people in 2017.
Last month, Banksy unveiled a group of animal-themed works across the capital of London, including one at London Zoo.
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