Builder cleared of burglary in Banksy 'Girl with Balloon' theft case
James Love, 54, was acquitted by Kingston Crown Court after jurors concluded he did not participate in the central London gallery burglary; co-defendant has admitted burglary and awaits sentencing.
London — A builder has been cleared of burglary in connection with the theft of a Banksy print from a central London gallery last September. James Love, 54, was said to have acted as the getaway driver for the break-in at the Grove Gallery in Fitzrovia, a theft prosecutors described as a 37-second raid.
Prosecutors said the limited-edition work, Girl with Balloon, was valued at more than £250,000 and was part of a two-week Breakout: Banksy's London Rebellion exhibition. Footage played to jurors showed a hooded man smashing through a glass door and removing the print before fleeing.
Love also was accused of driving Larry Fraser, 48, from Beckton, east London, to and from the gallery on the day of the theft and of being on the phone with him moments before the burglary. He admitted transferring £200 to Fraser on the night, but said the money was a loan to a friend and he did not know the plan.
During the trial, Love acknowledged he helped move the print from Fraser into a van and later stored it in a locked storage cupboard at a property he managed in Docklands. Following his arrest, Love provided investigators with a hand-drawn plan to help locate the print, pointing to a storage area at Venus House on Isle of Dogs. Police recovered the work beneath a dust sheet inside a cupboard.
Fraser, 48, admitted one count of burglary last October and is awaiting sentencing. He had previously been identified as the man who smashed the gallery door and grabbed the print before jumping into a waiting vehicle.
Love, who told the court he was not a Banksy fan and that the prints on his walls were worth up to about £300, said he did not know what Fraser was up to. In his closing remarks, his barrister Orla Daly highlighted Love’s lack of motive beyond a potential romantic gesture for his partner, whose surname is Heart, though the prosecution argued that theory did not fit the evidence surrounding the crime.
Prosecutor Philip Stott described the BanksY print as a valuable, certificate-authenticated work, noting the exhibition’s high-profile nature and the ease with which the theft appeared to have been planned. He contended the Crown’s case depended on photos and video showing Love in contact with Fraser and handling the artwork, and on the inconsistent explanations offered by Love.
Jurors deliberated for about six hours and 20 minutes before acquitting Love of burglary. The verdict was read at Kingston Crown Court, with Love appearing visibly relieved as the decision was announced.
The case remains connected to Fraser, who admitted burglary last October. The court proceedings established a timeline that placed Love at the scene and involved in related actions, but the jury ultimately concluded that he did not participate in the theft itself or in the planning of the crime.