A man has received a 13-month prison sentence after confessing to the theft of a Banksy artwork from a central London gallery.
Larry Fraser, 49, took a limited edition signed print of “Girl with Balloon” from the Grove Gallery on New Cavendish Street on September 8 in order to settle an outstanding drug debt.
This piece was part of a £1.5 million exhibit featuring 13 works by Banksy.
During a hearing at Kingston Crown Court, Judge Anne Brown described Fraser’s actions as “a bold and serious non-domestic burglary.”
Fraser was captured on surveillance footage outside the gallery for approximately 10 minutes on the night of the theft. He was seen using a heavy object to smash the glass door multiple times.
Once inside around 11:00 PM BST, he went directly to the numbered artwork and was later observed on camera carrying the print across the street.
The court was informed that the print, which was returned unharmed, had an estimated value of £270,000.
Residing in Beckton, east London, Fraser pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary and could qualify for immediate release due to the time he has served under electronic curfew.
A second individual, James Love, 54, was acquitted of stealing the artwork after a trial where he was accused of acting as a getaway driver.
Fraser’s plea included claims that his drug debt was the reason behind his actions, stating that he committed the crime “under a level of pressure and fear” and that he only learned about the burglary’s target the day of the incident, unaware of its worth.
Judge Brown remarked, “Although you may not have known the exact value of the print, you clearly recognized it to be highly valuable.”
The court also highlighted that Fraser had 18 prior convictions, but his last offense was in 2002, for robbery and unlawful wounding. Since his release from prison in 2008, he had not encountered any legal troubles.
Fraser’s attorney, Jeffrey Israel, noted that Fraser, who is the primary caregiver for his mother, had managed to overcome his cycle of drug addiction after his previous incarceration. He added that while it would be audacious to claim the print’s value had increased due to the incident, it was likely the case.
