Melbourne hotel offers to steal Banksy’s work

Australia is a country, where the crime rate is now one of the lowest in the world. This is true for hotels in Australia, where theft is a relatively rare phenomenon. It is so rare that some hotels in order to attract attention to its services offer its guests money for successful theft.

Art Series Hotel Group offers its guests to steal a picture of the famous graffiti master Banksy.

Currently the cost of the No Ball Games painting created by Banksy, which is put offered for theft, is 15 000 dollars. Representatives of the Art Series Hotel Group still did not fully adapt to the revolutionary idea of the new advertising campaign, but still expect success of the PR concept called StealBanksy.

Art Series Hotel Group acquired in late November Banksy’s work for its summer promotional campaign. From December 15, 2011 till January 15, 2012 the picture will be exhibited at different times in three Melbourne hotels - The Blackman, The Cullen and The Olsen, owned by the Art Series Hotel Group. Those guests, who will book a room in one of these three hotels from December 15 to January 15, will have the opportunity to take part in the competition for the "Best Banksy Steal". According to the rules, anyone, who will successfully steal the picture, can keep it. It is specified that it applies only to the hotel guests.

It is worth noting that the history of the No Ball Games picture is also linked with theft. In 2007 a thieves stole a part of the wall from one of the London streets with Banksy’s work. Subsequently the part of the wall with graffiti appeared on ebay, where it was sold for 20 000 pounds.