In a shocking turn of events, a man suspected of stealing a Banksy artwork was arrested in London on Saturday. The artwork, featuring three military drones on a stop sign, had been unveiled by the elusive artist less than an hour before the theft took place. The Metropolitan police confirmed that a man in his 20s was taken into custody on suspicion of theft and criminal damage. Authorities stated that he will remain in custody as investigations continue.

The theft occurred in the Peckham district of London, and the incident was captured on camera. The footage showed two men using bolt cutters to remove the anti-war artwork from a traffic post. One man was seen balancing on a rented bike in order to reach the sign, while the other held the bike steady. Shocked onlookers shouted at the pair to stop, but the man who cut the sign free quickly ran off with it in his hand.

According to witnesses, the thieves approached the artwork shortly after it had been unveiled, attracting a small crowd of admirers. One witness, identified only as Alex, described the scene as the thieves attempted to remove the artwork. Alex stated that the man used a Lime bike to reach the sign, but initially struggled to remove it. Eventually, he returned with bolt cutters and successfully removed the sign. Interestingly, Alex noted that the thief did not seem to care about the art itself.

Jasmine Ali, the deputy leader of the local borough council, expressed her disappointment over the theft and called for the artwork to be returned. She emphasized the importance of Banksy's work and the community's desire to enjoy it.

The stolen artwork, which many social media users speculated was tied to the Israel-Palestine conflict, has since been replaced. Banksy's artwork is known to command high prices on the resale market, with one piece selling for $25 million at auction in 2018.

The incident raises questions about the nature of Banksy's work and whether the theft was part of a planned stunt. It remains unclear if the removal is being investigated as theft by the Metropolitan Police. Some individuals had predicted that the artwork would be stolen soon after its unveiling.

Banksy, the anonymous street artist known for his thought-provoking and satirical art, often tackles themes of war. Many of his followers on Instagram interpreted the stolen artwork as a call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict. In a recently uncovered 2003 radio interview, the artist revealed that his first name is "Robbie," though his true identity remains unknown.