Bungling thieves wreck Banksy murals

Thieves have made a botched attempt to steal murals by street artist Banksy. They had intended to neatly chisel the slabs of concrete painted with images of flying rats off a wall in Whitechapel.

But instead they tore a great rift in the concrete, destroying tens of thousands of pounds worth of street art. Local resident Jennifer Floyd, 34, said: "It is a great shame. There are loads of Banksys in the area but they are slowly disappearing. Thieves are resorting to ripping stuff off the walls at every opportunity... Even though they failed the first time, ruining the mural, they had the nerve to try it again, and ruined the second one."

Banksy's art is fetching ever-increasing amounts. Owners include Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie and Jude Law. Last month a Banksy piece sold for £288,000 - 20 times its estimate. Late last year thieves using an angle grinder cut out a section of wall in Gloucester Gardens, Paddington, bearing a Banksy stencil of a rat bouncing a beach ball under a "No Ball Games" sign and put it on eBay for £20,000.

Designs that featured on Blur's Think Tank album were removed from walls in Deptford, and the "No Swimming" sign in St James's Park has been stolen. Banksy pieces have also been painted over accidentally.