An artwork attributed to British artist Banksy has been stolen from its location in Paris.
The stencil was taken from the parking garage of the world-famous Georges Pompidou Center in the 4th arrondissement.
Police were called to the scene on rue Beaubourg at 4.15am on Monday morning where they noticed a plexiglass shield covering the stencil had been removed and the artwork cut away.
Detectives have launched an investigation into the theft are now examining CCTV footage from the area in a bid to recover the piece.
The work, depicting a rat, was painted in 2018 and had featured on the Bristol-based artist's Instagram account .
This is the second time that a Bansky has been stolen by art thieves in the French capital.
In January, an homage to the 90 people killed during the Bataclan concert massacre was taken from outside the venue .
Hooded thieves cut the image from the door of the theatre and made off in a white van, witnesses claimed.
The piece had been put up in 2015 shortly after the terrorist attack took place in November 13, 2015.
François Vauglin, mayor of Paris’s 11th arrondissement, said at the time: “This silhouette was made by the artist for free.
"It was an altruistic gesture to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attack and their loved ones, and I find it very sad that people have grabbed it without thinking about everything it represents.”
The work has still not been recovered.
