Banksy: Police Investigate Removal Of Street Sign In Peckham As Alleged Theft

Banksy strikes once again. The Metropolitan Police have opened an investigation following the removal of a south London street sign containing work by the enigmatic artist Banksy.

On Friday, a red stop sign depicting three military drones was placed on the corner of Commercial Way and Peckham Road in Peckham.

However, it was dismantled within an hour by a man with bolt cutters while witnesses snapped photographs.

The police are investigating it as theft. Officers have not yet made any arrests.

Police Investigate Removal Of Street Sign In Peckham As Alleged Theft

According to one gallery owner, the artwork might be up to £500,000.

Southwark Council’s Jasmine Ali expressed confidence that it will be returned.

“We’re not just talking about a street sign here; it’s a work of art that was placed there for the community,” she explained. “It’s street art for the people.”

The Met stated that a new traffic sign had been installed to avoid harming road users.

“We are aware of footage being shared that shows the sign being removed,” a spokeswoman stated.

“Anyone who may have information about the incident or the whereabouts of the sign is asked to call police.”

One man said he “watched in awe” on Friday when the sign was removed at 12:30 p.m. GMT.

Alex, 26, explained that no one knew what to do and that “we just watched it happen.”

A man holding a banana steadied a Lime bike for another, who reached up and cut the artwork free.

He rushed down the street and out of sight after wrenching it off the post.

Matthew Uden, managing director of a local funeral home, said, “having a piece of art by a famous street artist such as Banksy outside of our Camberwell branch was incredibly nice to see.”

He expressed regret that it was no longer present.

While the event was reported to the Metropolitan Police, art gallery owner John Brandler wondered if it was a “publicity stunt.”

“I believe it would be worth £250,000 to £500,000 at auction.”

“It may very well be higher. The media attention has increased its value.

“If I am being cynical, I think he did it as a Christmas present for someone.”

BANKSY: Police Investigate Removal Of Street Sign In Peckham As Alleged Theft

After Banksy confirmed the legitimacy of his latest work on social media, his Instagram followers widely interpreted it as a demand for a truce in the Gaza Strip.

Similar drone art occurred in 2017 at Banksy’s Walled Off hotel in Bethlehem, which he said offered “the worst view of any hotel in the world,” referring to Israel’s disputed West Bank wall.

Banksy’s art, according to Prof Paul Gough, vice-chancellor of Arts University Bournemouth, “always thrives on that ambiguity.”

“He rarely puts art there by accident,” Prof Gough added.

“There are some 40,000 comments on his Instagram – yet he follows nobody – and you get a whole range of interpretations.”

Ulrich Blanche, a Heidelberg University street art expert, stated that Banksy’s provocative work is typically viewed as making a “political statement.”

He believes that the placement of Commercial Way, close to a funeral home, and the drones flying away represent the worldwide arms trade.

However, despite this, Banksy is worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, and he believes it will take a lot of work to find a buyer.

Police Investigate Removal Of Street Sign In Peckham As Alleged Theft

“It is worth quite a lot of money.” Mr Blanche went on to say.

He stated that whoever owns it may need help to sell it due to how they obtained it.

Banksy has also placed additional works this year, including Valentine’s Day Mascara, a 3.8-tonne artwork that emerged on the side of a house in Margate, Kent, on Valentine’s Day.

It showed a 1950s housewife wearing an apron and yellow washing-up gloves, tossing a man into a chest freezer.

It was installed in the lobby of The Art of Banksy exhibition in central London in September, where it is free to view.

Banksy opened a shop in Croydon four years ago, exhibiting the stab vest he produced for Stormzy’s headline concert at the Glastonbury festival.

SOURCE – (BBC)