FILE PHOTO: A local woman walks next to a wall of a residential building, heavily damaged during Russian invasion, from which a group of people tried to steal the work of street artist Banksy, in the town of Hostomel, Kyiv region, Ukraine December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
The suspected mastermind behind the removal of a Banksy mural in a Ukrainian town could face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty, Ukraine's interior ministry said on Monday.
The artwork, depicting a woman in a gas mask and a dressing gown holding a fire extinguisher, was taken off a wall in the town of Hostomel on Dec. 2, according to officials.
The ministry announced on its website that the man it believes orchestrated the operation had been handed a "suspicion notice".
FILE PHOTO: A new graffiti in Banksy's signature style, although not posted by the mercurial artist on social media, is seen on the wall of a destroyed building in the Ukrainian town of Hostomel, which had been occupied by Russia until April and heavily damaged by fighting in the early days of Russian invasion, November 13, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
The artwork by the renowned British artist had been valued at over 9 million hryvnia ($243,900), the ministry statement said.
"The criminals tried to transport this graffiti with the help of wooden boards and polyethylene," it said.
"Thanks to the concern of citizens, the police and other security forces managed to arrest the criminals."
FILE PHOTO: Andrii Nebytov, chief of the Kyiv regional National Police, stands next to the work of street artist Banksy which a group of people tried to steal from a wall of a residential building in the town of Hostomel, heavily damaged during Russian invasion, at a police office in the town of Boiarka, Kyiv region, Ukraine December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
The mural was retrieved.
Banksy confirmed he had painted the mural and six others in places that were hit by heavy fighting after Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.
FILE PHOTO: A local cat sits in a front of wall of a residential building, heavily damaged during Russian invasion, from which a group of people tried to steal the work of street artist Banksy, in the town of Hostomel, Kyiv region, Ukraine December 3, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
(Reporting by Max Hunder; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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