Banksy recently posted a photo of his new work on Instagram. The silhouette of a wolf howling at the moon was painted on a satellite dish in Rye Lane, South London. The undisputed king of street art unfortunately fell victim to theft. Within hours, the work mysteriously disappeared.
Banksy’s PR team told the BBC they had expected the work to be stolen. Police confirmed they had received a report of a “theft of a satellite dish containing a work of art” but no arrests have been made.
A witness to a theft was kicked in the stomach
Londoner Tom Kellow, who witnessed the theft, told the BBC how it happened. “They had a ladder with them. One guy was on the roof and the other two were guarding the ladder. They saw me filming and it got tense. One kicked me in the stomach and the other tried to throw my phone on the roof. Luckily it hit a tree,” he said.
Kellow immediately reported the theft to a police officer who was patrolling the area. “I’m very sorry that the work didn’t survive even a day. It’s a shame that people don’t respect beautiful things in public spaces,” he added.
A series of works on the animal theme
The stolen wolf is the fourth piece Banksy has created on the streets of London this week. The artist has also claimed responsibility for three other black silhouette compositions that have appeared around the capital as part of an animal-themed series.
According to Google Maps, the satellite dish on Rye Lane did not exist before the artwork appeared.
Three monkeys on a bridge
On Wednesday, August 7, Banksy unveiled his third work, depicting three monkeys swinging on a railway bridge in Brick Lane, east London. The day before, the anonymous artist posted a photo of two elephant silhouettes with trunks extended towards each other, painted on the side of a house in Edith Terrace, Chelsea.
On Monday, Banksy posted a graphic of a goat sitting on a wall near Kew Bridge in Richmond. The BBC says the “animal” art series will end at the end of this week.
Banksy, known for his mysterious style and socially engaged works, surprises again, this time, but in slightly less pleasant circumstances. We hope that the stolen work will be found quickly.
