The Banksy mural of a woman in a gas mask that was reported to have been stolen on Friday was seized by police, who arrested the culprits at the scene, Ukrainian officials have said.
On Friday, Bristol Live reported how the mural, one of more than half a dozen painted in the war-torn suburbs of Kyiv last month by the Bristolian artist, had been stolen when it was cut and removed from the wall of a burned-out home in Hostomel, near Kyiv.
But now, the local governor of the Kyiv region has gone onto social media to reassure people the mural is in the hands of the police, who made arrests.
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Oleksiy Kuleba, the governor of the Kyiv region, said the attempt to steal the street art had been foiled by police who had retrieved the painting intact, and were now looking after it.
"These images are, after all, symbols of our struggle against the enemy," said Mr Kuleba. "These are stories about the support and solidarity of the entire civilised world with Ukraine. We'll do everything to preserve these works of street art as a symbol of our victory," he added.
Initial reports emerged from Hostomel on Friday morning that the work of art had been stolen when people there noticed the render had been cut away from the yellow building onto which Banksy sprayed his image of a woman wearing a gas mask. But police and the regional governor confirmed that while the painting had been removed as a theft attempt, those responsible had been arrested.
Police later released pictures of the spot where the painting had been removed, but said they had the painting in their possession and it was intact. Banksy's trip to Ukraine in was first reported by Bristol Live on November 11, and the following week, a video emerged which apparently showed the artist painting one of his works.
The Bristol-born street artist later posted images on his official Instagram account of various works of art he did around Kyiv and the region, including one showing a gymnast doing a handstand, another showing a child beating Vladimir Putin at judo, as well as a video showing the works in their locations.
Also last month, Banksy appeared to urge shoppers to shoplift from a Regent Street fashion store that had used his work without permission - they quickly took down the window display.
Read next:
- Banksy confirmed to be in Ukraine after street artwork speculation
- World reacts as Banksy artwork appears in war-torn Ukraine
- The most ridiculous theories about who Banksy is
- Banksy responds to speculation as Stockwood residents spot new framed artwork
- Banksy claims Reading Prison art with Bob Ross video
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