From Crime to Captivity: Swift Justice for Banksy's Stolen Masterpiece

Larry Fraser was sentenced to 13 months in prison for stealing Banksy's 'Girl with Balloon' from a London gallery. Valued at £270,000, the artwork was quickly recovered by police. Fraser, caught on camera, confessed in October. The painting is one of Banksy's most famous works.

A British court on Friday sentenced Larry Fraser, 49, to 13 months in prison for the audacious theft of a signed Banksy's 'Girl with Balloon' from the Grove Gallery in London's Fitzrovia district.

Fraser, who shattered his way into the gallery with a hammer, was apprehended shortly after the crime, despite efforts to obscure his identity with a mask. The stolen artwork, valued at £270,000, was successfully recovered within days, thanks to the diligence of local law enforcement.

The artwork is one of several murals featuring a girl with a red heart-shaped balloon, a piece renowned worldwide and emblematic of Banksy's political and cultural commentary. Detective Chief Inspector Scott Mather expressed pride in the swift action taken to retrieve the artwork.

(With inputs from agencies.)