Thief Larry Fraser Jailed for Smash-and-Grab Theft of £270k Banksy Print from London Gallery

Thief Larry Fraser Jailed for Smash-and-Grab Theft of £270k Banksy Print from London Gallery

A 49-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 months in prison following a dramatic smash-and-grab heist of a signed, limited-edition Banksy print from the Grove Gallery in Fitzrovia, central London. The theft of the famous Girl with Balloon artwork, valued at approximately £270,000 ($355,000), occurred on the night of September 8, 2024.

CCTV footage captured the moment Larry Fraser used a heavy hammer to shatter the gallery's glass door. He entered the darkened showroom, grabbed the framed print off the wall, and fled. The Metropolitan Police launched an immediate investigation, and detectives from the specialist crime unit successfully tracked Fraser using local CCTV networks. The artwork was recovered intact just four days later, on September 12, 2024, at an address in the London Docklands.

During his sentencing at Kingston Crown Court in November 2025, the court heard that Fraser had carried out the burglary under 'a degree of pressure and fear' to settle a mounting drug debt. Fraser pleaded guilty to a single count of non-residential burglary. A co-defendant, James Love, was cleared of all charges following a trial.

The presiding judge sentenced Fraser to 13 months in prison, noting that due to time already served on an electronic curfew, he might be eligible for immediate release. The gallery manager praised the Metropolitan Police for their rapid response and the safe return of the iconic print.