'Greedy' property owner removes slab of wall graffitied with Banksy artwork - and hides it in a mystery location

This is the moment an entire section of a shop wall featuring a valuable Banksy artwork is removed - before being hidden in a mystery location.

The brick and plaster section of a wall of an empty electrical shop in Suffolk was carefully cut out by removal experts at the weekend.

It comes after the Bristol street painter's work appeared in Lowestoft, Suffolk as part of his 'Great British Spraycation' project.

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The shop was previously on the market for £300,00.

However but it saw its value leap by at least another £200,000 after Banksy's work, which showed a child with a crowbar, appeared in August.

(PA)

But now the property's owner has decided to remove the artwork from the building.

A video shows a yellow telehandler tearing out part of the wall featuring the graffiti, which was protected with a screen and wooden boards.

Workmen then loaded the wall slab onto a truck, which took it to an undisclosed location.

It remains unclear whether the artwork will be sold at auction, though previous Banksy pieces have reeled in millions under the hammer.

Furious locals have blasted the proprietor for removing the artwork, which was one of 10 pieces made in the 'Great British Spraycation' project on the east coast of England.

A yellow material handler was seen tearing out part of the wall featuring the grafitti, which was covered with a protective screen and wooden boards (Crispin Hook / SWNS)

On Facebook, resident Brandon Eames described the removal as "stupidity" and "disrespectful".

He wrote: "Now being shipped off to sell at public auction.. This is terrible. Why spend the money to protect it then just take it away..."

Fellow local Matthew Cook said: "Greed, lack of understanding, lack of respect.

"Remove a painted artwork all because who did it... its a joke tbh and should have been allowed. Sets a bad precedent."

Lynda Palmer added: "So so sad x perhaps he will come back and do another one. But somewhere it won't be taken away from."

The building, which previously hosted Lowestoft Electrical, saw its market value jump from £300,000 to £500,000 after the Banksy artwork appeared.

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