Watch the moment a man helps himself to a £26,000 Banksy artwork

A man has been caught on camera stealing a Banksy artwork worth £26,000 from an exhibition in Toronto.

The theft took place just after 5am on Sunday, before the Art of Banksy exhibition’s Wednesday opening.

Security footage shows the man, whose face is covered by a scarf and a baseball cap, removing the piece from the industrial building in Toronto’s west end.

The thief was caught on camera taking the Banksy from the exhibit (Toronto police handout)
The thief was caught on camera taking the Banksy from the exhibit (Toronto police handout)

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Called ‘Trolley Hunter’, the piece shows three loincloth-clad men aiming weapons, including a spear, at a trio of shopping trolleys.

The unauthorised exhibition has been organised by the reclusive street artist’s former manager, Steve Lazarides.

‘Trolley Hunt’ was stolen from the Banksy exhibition (Toronto police handout)
‘Trolley Hunt’ was stolen from the Banksy exhibition (Toronto police handout)

It includes around 80 original pieces and has been billed as the largest ever collection of Banksy’s work, believed to be worth around £20 million in total.

Lazarides – who hasn’t spoken to the artist in a decade – said: “This isn’t a Banksy exhibition, it is an exhibition of Banksy’s art and I think there’s a big difference between the two.”