Thieves foiled as they try to relocate some Banksy graffiti

A gang of would-be thieves have been foiled as they used sophisticated equipment to steal part of a derelict wall in Hackney Wick featuring one of the first works of street artist Banksy

.The gang were disturbed by artists from the nearby Elevator Gallery as they used industrial cutting gear in a bid to prize the concrete slab from a wall near White Post Lane.

Banksy's distinctive paintings have sold at auction for more than £200,000. The stencil is believed to be one of the first works by Bristol-born Banksy, who is admired for his satirical pieces of street art on topics including politics, ethics and popular culture.

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