London police charge two in theft of Banksy's 'Girl with Balloon' painting

Sept. 13 (UPI) -- London's Metropolitan Police said on Friday that it arrested two men and charged them with the burglary of a Banksy artwork taken from a London gallery on Sunday.

Police took Larry Fraser, 47, and James Love, 53, into custody and charged them with non-residential burglary on Wednesday. Both are accused of taking the Banksy painting "Girl With Balloon" from the Grove Gallery. Authorities said the painting has since been recovered.

Fraser and Love appeared in front of the Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Thursday where they received bail and are scheduled to appear in the Kingston Crown Court on Oct. 9.

Banksy, an anonymous street artist, is well known for his paintings and stencil artwork, and his work was on display at the gallery in an exhibition that began in late August and closed last Friday.

The painting is valued at more than $354,000 and the museum said there was more than $2.3 million worth of art on display when the burglary took place.

The gallery's manager Lindor Mehmetaj called the police Monday morning when he noticed the gallery had been broken into. He said it was remarkable that the painting was found so quickly, and was able to be returned to the gallery.