LONDON — Two alleged art thieves will appear in court in London next month accused of stealing “Girl With Balloon,” a famous painting by the mysterious British street artist Banksy.
Larry Fraser, 47, from east London, and James Love, 53, from Essex, were both charged with non-residential burglary and placed in police custody on Thursday.
The artwork — which shows a little girl letting go of, or perhaps reaching out for, a heart-shaped balloon — was stolen from a gallery in central London on Sept. 8 at 11:00 p.m, police said.
The painting was the only item stolen and police said it had been recovered and would be returned to the gallery.
The latest artworks from Banksy were a series of animal paintings dotted around London last month.
Persons:
Banksy, Larry Fraser, James Love
Organizations:
London's Metropolitan Police, force's, Wimbledon, Kingston Crown, Bank, West Bank, Banksy
Locations:
London, London's, Essex, Kingston, Bristol, Israel's