Banksy Art Heist: 13-Month Sentence for Gallery Burglary
A 49-year-old man has been handed a 13-month prison sentence for stealing a valuable Banksy print from a central London art gallery to settle an outstanding drug debt. Larry Fraser from Beckton, east London, targeted the Grove gallery in Fitzrovia last September in what a judge described as a 'brazen and serious' non-domestic burglary.
The Night of the Burglary
On September 8 last year, Fraser was captured on CCTV waiting outside the prestigious gallery for approximately ten minutes before taking decisive action. Prosecuting lawyer Philip Stott told Kingston Crown Court how the defendant repeatedly smashed the glass door with a heavy blunt object around 11pm. Once inside, Fraser went directly to his target: a signed and numbered print from Banksy's iconic Girl With Balloon series.
The stolen artwork formed part of an exhibition showcasing a £1.5 million collection featuring thirteen Banksy pieces. Fraser subsequently transported the print to a location in London Docklands where it was hidden inside a building. Fortunately, through information provided to police by a third party, Metropolitan Police Flying Squad officers recovered the undamaged artwork valued at approximately £270,000 just four days later on September 12.
Sentencing and Circumstances
During sentencing on Friday, Judge Brown acknowledged Fraser's claim that he committed the offence under pressure to settle a historic drug debt, but emphasised that he clearly understood the artwork's significant value. The judge noted that while Fraser didn't mastermind the burglary, the crime involved a high degree of planning and was too serious for a suspended sentence.
Defence lawyer Jeffrey Israel revealed that Fraser, who acts as principal carer for his mother, had managed to break his cycle of drug addiction following his last prison sentence in 2002. The court heard Fraser had remained 'out of trouble' since his 2008 release from prison, despite having 18 previous convictions.
In a separate development, a second man, 54-year-old James Love, was cleared of involvement in the theft after being accused of acting as the getaway driver. DCI Scott Mather from the Met's Flying Squad praised the rapid resolution, stating: 'Banksy's Girl with Balloon is known across the world - and we reacted immediately to not just bring Fraser to justice but also reunite the artwork with the gallery.'
Grove Gallery manager Lindor Mehmetaj, 29, expressed his profound relief and gratitude to police for the artwork's recovery, describing the flying squad's work as 'pragmatic, logical, very composed and ultimately professional.' Fraser may qualify for immediate release due to time already served under electronic curfew.
