Burglar in hazmat suit tries to steal Banksy's artwork that is a tribute to health workers

While crimes rates have witnessed a decline amid the pandemic, a thief used the health crisis to steal a painting by Banksy donated to a UK’s National Health Services (NHS) hospital. The burglar donned a hazmat suit, often used by frontline health workers, and sneaked in the hospital during the early hours and was reportedly seen prowling near the artwork called ‘Game Changer’.

According to media reports, the man had a cordless drill and was seen walking past the painting at least five times. The security immediately stepped in and escorted out the burglar from the Southampton General Hospital, saving Banksy’s artwork, which is estimated to be at a price of £5 Million, from getting stolen.

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Tribute to frontline workers

The elusive street artist had recently left the artwork at the hospital with a note, “Thanks for all you're doing. I hope this brightens the place up a bit, even if its only black and white.” The painting shows a young boy holding a figurine of a health care worker with a cape, representing the frontline workers as superheroes. The monochromatic piece pays tribute to thousands of frontline healthcare workers worldwide and will be auctioned to raise money for charity later in the year, as per international media reports.

Banksy, known for his satirical street art combined with dark humour, uses graffiti to display his work at publicly visible places. He also made a documentary film ‘Exit Through the Gift Shop’ which got nominated for Academy Award for Best Documentary film in 2011.

“This is a big surprise... I don't agree with the concept of award ceremonies, but I'm prepared to make an exception for the ones I'm nominated for,” Banksy had said after the nomination.

Before the Brexit, Recently, Banksy had created a mural on the side of a building where a star was being chipped away from the European Union’s flag. The painting, which later got covered with white paint, symbolized the exit of Britain from the EU. 

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