Two suspects have been detained for the theft of a famous Banksy piece of “Rat” art in Paris which has still not been found.
According to reports, the French police arrested two suspects aged 32 and 35 on Tuesday morning (4th February) in connection with the theft of a Banksy artwork in Paris which is still missing.
The arrests were made in the Seine-et-Marne and the Val-d’Oise departments.
The theft took place at 36 Rue Rambuteau in the third arrondissement in Paris, near the Pompidou Centre, on the night of 1st to 2nd September 2019.
According to witnesses, the two thieves used a forklift truck to reach the mural before cutting it out.
The theft was reportedly caught on camera by local residents who were woken up by noise coming from outside. The thieves did not hide what they were doing, leaving only a gaping hole where they had cut the piece from.
They reportedly wore yellow vests and had a truck with flashing lights, possibly in an attempt to pass themselves off as municipal employees.
According to reports, the suspects’ homes have been searched and police have identified fragments which could be from the mural. Their origin however has not yet been officially confirmed.
It is also currently unclear what role exactly the two suspects are believed to have played in the theft.
Banksy’s “Rat” artwork was painted in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of the May 1968 protests which took place in Paris.
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Story By: Joseph Golder, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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