Kyiv police arrest Banksy thieves

Kyiv police arrest Banksy thieves
Banksy mural at Hostemel before it was cut out by thieves. / bne IntelliNews
By Dominic Culverwell in London December 7, 2022

Ukrainian police have arrested eight people who cut down a mural by famous British street artist Banksy, the Kyiv Independent reported on November 2.

The group tried to take off with the painting in Hostomel but were chased down by the police, who eventually captured them. Although charged with the destruction of property, the detainees claimed they wanted to sell the artwork to raise money for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.


Photo- Serhiy Zhuka

Speaking to the newspaper Ukrainian Pravda, the officers explained that the preservation and protection of cultural objects is the responsibility of the local authorities.


​Photo- Serhiy Zhuka

The world famous artist revealed he has painted seven murals on decimated buildings in the Kyiv region, including the war-torn towns of Irpin and Borodianka. Although the regions are healing, there is still a lot of work to be done to restore the damage from the Russian occupation, and endless ruined apartment blocks have been left abandoned.

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