A year after being charged, a Thurrock man has been cleared by a jury of involvement in the theft of a copy of an artwork by stree...

A year after being charged, a Thurrock man has been cleared by a jury of involvement in the theft of a copy of an artwork by street artist Banksy. In September last year, media reported on the magistrates court appearance of James Love, 54, of North Stifford, who had been linked to the theft from a gallery by burglar Larry Fraser. The allegation against Mr Love was that he had conspired and Fraser, 47, of Evelyn Denington Road, Beckton, in a raid on the Grove Gallery on New Cavendish Street in London which resulted in theft of a Banksy print called 'Girl with Balloon', valued at £270,000. The work, called 'Girl with Balloon', is part of a series of paintings and stencils by the guerrilla artist and was the only item stolen. It has since been recovered thanks to help from Mr Love. Fraser had been captured on CCTV smashing the glass front door of the gallery early on Sunday, 8 September last year and - in the space of 36 seconds – he took the print. https://lnkd.in/ge9CuH4x