Owners ‘wish Banksy had never been on their wall’

Mr Davies and Mr Gilbert today claimed they were “mortified” at the public attention on the case.

Mr Davies said: “I cannot believe it’s over graffiti on a wall that has caused this. We had a case with one of our buildings where we had graffiti and the council told us they would fine us over £1000 if we didn’t remove it.

“The council have done nothing to protect it. They’ve not helped us in any way. They’ve just caused us more problems and more problems.”

Fine Art Auctions in Miami insists the artwork was not stolen and Scotland Yard is refusing to investigate as the case is not a criminal matter.

A friend of the owners said the arrival of a Banksy on their building has been “nothing but trouble”.

He said: “They never wanted any of this. When the artwork first arrived, they had an enormous problem with gangs in the area. They were extorting the owners, saying they would damage it and they had to protect it.

“In future, when Banksy does something like this again, the council should immediately record it as a piece of art and put a vented, bullet-proof system around it to protect it forever. A plaque could go on it.”

“The last thing they ever wanted was this. They wish it had never arrived.”

Poundland and Haringey Council have condemned the removal of the artwork, which was painted last May shortly before the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and is thought to be a critique of sweatshops that produce cheap decorations.

Wood Green councillor Alan Strickland, who lead the campaign to stop the auction, said he hoped the work would now be returned.