Banksy put up a $600,000 stop sign. Two men with bolt cutters took it down

On Friday, a piece of street art — a red stop sign featuring illustrations of three military drones — was erected on a south London street corner, which elusive artist Banksy confirmed via social media was an original artwork. However, an hour after it was hung, it was removed by two men with bolt cutters, according to the BBC. 

One gallery owner told the outlet that the Banksy-made sign, which his Instagram followers largely interpreted as calling for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, could be worth up to £500,000 (or over $600,000). Jasmine Ali, a member of the Southwark London Borough Council, said the theft is about more than a street sign. “It is a work of art which was put there for the community,” Ali said. “It is street art and it is for the people.” 

Witnesses on the scene took clear photos and videos of the men involved and while police are treating the incident as a theft, officers are yet to make any arrests. Some members of the art community, including gallery owner John Brandler, have questioned whether the incident is a publicity stunt. A similar argument was sparked when, in 2018, the artist’s “Love is in the Bin” painting half-shredded itself while being auctioned at Sotheby’s London.