‘It’s wanton vandalism’: the unwanted consequences of owning a Banksy

The Banksy rhino mounting a car, in Charlton, London, on August 12. Later the car was removed but was then replaced with a skip. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

The picture of a pair of masked men in south London this month making off with a ladder and a satellite dish, newly decorated by Banksy, made one thing clear: people want Banksy’s art and believe it is extremely valuable. The culprits in Peckham Rye were photographed and filmed in action, so took a big risk, and two arrests were made later that day.

But if an original sprayed ­stencil appears overnight on the side of your home or business, it would pose problems. After all, Banksy’s team issue no manual of instructions on how to protect and maintain the artworks. In fact, the artist is understood to feel that whatever happens to his sub­versive images is all part of the initial ­creative intervention.