Two men have been charged over the alleged theft of one of Banksy’s most renowned artworks from a gallery in central London.
An investigation was launched after a burglary was reported at Grove Gallery in New Cavendish Street about 11pm on Sunday, September 8.
The street artist’s ‘Girl with Balloon’ piece was the only item stolen.
Metropolitan police said 47-year-old Larry Fraser from Beckton and 53-year-old James Love from North Stifford were earlier this week charged with non-residential burglary.
The pair were remanded in police custody before appearing at court on Thursday.
They were bailed to face court again in October.
Banksy’s stolen art has been recovered and will be returned to the gallery.
The Girl with Balloon first appeared graffitied on a wall in London and several versions of it have been produced since.
One version of it famously self-destructed and passed through a shredder when it was sold for $2.2 million during an auction in 2018.
