A 54-year-old builder is standing trial for allegedly serving as a getaway driver in the theft of a valuable Banksy print worth $270,000 from a central London gallery. James Love denies charges of burglary, claiming he was unaware of his associate's criminal intentions when a limited edition "Girl With Balloon" print was stolen from the Grove Gallery on September 8, 2024.

Larry Fraser, 48, has already pleaded guilty to smashing the gallery's glass door and stealing the artwork. During proceedings at Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday, jurors were presented with surveillance footage showing Love's van arriving near the gallery shortly after the break-in occurred. The prosecution argues that Love deliberately drove to the gallery on the morning of the burglary and assisted in storing the stolen print afterward.

The court viewed video evidence showing Fraser carrying the Banksy artwork before Love helped him load it into the vehicle. Love testified that this moment marked the first time he realized what Fraser had done, stating he immediately questioned Fraser about what he was carrying. According to Love's testimony, Fraser told him he "had to do it" because he owed money to creditors.

Love firmly denied serving as Fraser's getaway driver, telling the court: "I don't know, I wasn't thinking right - all I was thinking about was family, I'm going to get in trouble, cameras, I wasn't thinking." He described his reaction during their escape, saying: "When we drove off I started shouting, abusing Fraser. He said he needs it, he owes a large drug debt. I said, 'you've used me'."

Despite his anger at being deceived, Love admitted to later taking the stolen artwork to a block of flats in the Isle of Dogs area of London. He explained his reasoning to the court: "I decided to put the picture there, so Fraser couldn't get his hands on it, and hopefully get it back to where it belongs." Police were eventually able to recover the artwork after Love provided them with a detailed map and instructions during his first court appearance.

Love, who works as a builder, testified that he had known Fraser for approximately 20 years and would occasionally hire him for construction labor jobs. Interestingly, Love told jurors that despite having a personal collection of heart-themed artwork, he was "not particularly" a fan of Banksy and possessed limited knowledge about the famous street artist's work.

The defendant, who resides in North Stifford, Grays, Essex, continues to maintain his innocence on burglary charges. The trial is ongoing, with the court expected to hear additional testimony and evidence before reaching a verdict in this high-profile art theft case.