One of British street artist Banksy's most renowned works, "Girl with Balloon," has been recovered following its theft from a London gallery last week, according to police reports on Friday. The artwork depicts a young girl reaching for a red heart-shaped balloon, and various murals featuring the same image can be found in London and other locations. Police confirmed that the painting was the sole item stolen on September 8 and will be returned to the gallery. Two men, aged 47 and 53, were charged with burglary on Thursday and are currently in police custody. They have already made a court appearance where they were granted bail and are scheduled to appear before a judge again on October 9.
The "Girl with Balloon" first emerged on the streets of London's Shoreditch neighborhood in 2002. Banksy later recreated the painting on London's South Bank in 2004 and at the barrier in the West Bank in Israel in 2005. Banksy gained fame for his sharply ironic outdoor graffiti with political themes. Initially a graffiti artist from the English city of Bristol, his artwork has since become immensely popular and valuable.
