(London) A man suspected of running away with a street sign in London on which a work claimed by Banksy appeared was arrested, police announced on Saturday, the day after the theft.
The work, three aircraft which appear to be combat drones on a stop sign, appeared on Friday morning at a crossroads in the Peckham district of south-east London.
The enigmatic artist quickly posted a photo of his work on his Instagram account, through which he usually authenticates his creations.
Less than an hour later, witnesses filmed a man, perched on a bicycle, dismantling the panel using cutting pliers, with the help of another man. The video which made the rounds on social networks then shows him running off with the work.
The London police initially indicated that they had not received any reports on this subject.
But Southwark City Council, responsible in particular for signage in this area, said on Friday evening that it wished to recover the sign and had reported the incident to the police.
On Saturday evening, police announced that a man had been arrested and remained in custody.
“This incident is currently under investigation,” added a London police spokesperson, without giving further details on the individual arrested.
She urged “anyone who may have information about the incident or the whereabouts of the sign” to contact police.
Several works by Banksy have already been stolen in the past, including a door from the Parisian Bataclan room, which paid tribute to the victims of the November 13 attacks.
Others have been compromised, like a mural denouncing domestic violence, representing a housewife with a look from the 1950s or 1960s, disfigured by a black eye and a broken tooth, while the a man’s legs protrude from an old, very real, horizontal freezer placed against the wall.
The freezer was quickly removed for safety reasons, confusing the understanding of the work, before being reinstalled.