Banksy Art Theft Lands Man in Prison
A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after stealing a valuable Banksy print from a central London art gallery to pay off a historic drug debt. Larry Fraser from Beckton, east London, targeted the Grove Gallery in Fitzrovia in September 2024, making off with a limited edition piece from the artist's iconic Girl With Balloon series.
The Brazen Burglary
The court at Kingston Crown Court heard how Fraser was captured on CCTV waiting outside the gallery for about 10 minutes on September 8, 2024, before repeatedly smashing the glass door with a heavy blunt object. Prosecuting barrister Philip Stott detailed how Fraser gained entry around 11pm and went directly to the signed and numbered artwork, demonstrating clear intent.
"The defendant was taken to a location in London Docklands and the artwork was secreted inside a building there," Mr Stott told the court. "It was later recovered shortly after, on September 12, after information was passed to the police by a third party." The stolen print, valued at approximately £270,000, was returned to the gallery without any damage.
Sentencing and Mitigation
Sentencing Fraser on Friday, November 14, 2025, Judge Anne Brown described the incident as "a brazen and serious non-domestic burglary." She acknowledged that while Fraser might not have known the precise value of the artwork, he "obviously understood it to be very valuable." The judge also noted that while there was "a high degree of planning, this was not your plan," suggesting Fraser acted under pressure from others.
Fraser, who pleaded guilty to one count of burglary, presented a basis of plea stating he owed money due to a historic drug debt he was struggling to settle and committed the offence "under a degree of pressure and fear." His defence lawyer, Jeffrey Israel, told the court that Fraser had managed to "break his cycle of drug addiction" after his last prison sentence in 2002 and had been living with his mother as her principal carer.
The court heard that Fraser has 18 previous convictions, though the most recent was in 2002 when he was jailed for robbery and unlawful wounding. He had been "out of trouble" since his release from prison in 2008. Due to time spent on electronic curfew, Fraser may be eligible for immediate release despite the 13-month sentence.
Investigation and Recovery
Detective Chief Inspector Scott Mather from the Metropolitan Police's Flying Squad praised the rapid response that led to both Fraser's arrest and the artwork's recovery. "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," he said. "The speed at which this took place is a testament to the tireless work of the Flying Squad officers - in total it took just four days for normality to be restored."
The stolen print was part of an exhibition showcasing a £1.5 million collection of 13 Banksy pieces at the Grove Gallery. Gallery manager Lindor Mehmetaj, 29, expressed his gratitude to police, saying he was "completely, completely shocked, but in a very, very positive way when the Flying Squad showed me the actual artwork." He added: "It's very hard to put into words, the weight that comes off your shoulders."
In a separate development, a second man, 54-year-old James Love, was cleared of involvement in the theft following a trial after being accused of acting as the getaway driver.
