Crime and no punishment

An unusual quest set by Australia`s Art Series Hotels has proved that theft doesn`t always have to be a crime. However, a mission to steal two Banksy artworks from the hotels unnoticed turned out only half successful.

Art Series Hotels in Melbourne placed two artworks by cult British street artist Banksy on their premises for their guests to steal. The rules stated the thieves must remain unnoticed by security. If they successfully pulled off the theft, then the artwork would remain in their possession. However if they got caught, they would have to return it.

Out of two Banksy works - No Ball Games and Pulp Fiction - only one was successfully "stolen". The No Ball Games piece is estimated on the art market at around $15,000.

However visitors to the hotel chain failed to get away with the other one. Pulp Fiction was created by Banksy as a tribute to the iconic Quentin Tarantino movie and is estimated at over $4,000.

One high-profile would-be art thief was the US tennis player Serena Williams. However, she failed to get away unnoticed.

Despite their efforts ending in vain, the excited visitors displayed a certain inventiveness in their attempts to pull off the "crime".

According to Art Lyst, guests even tried re-wiring the internal security cameras so as to evade capture; others attempted to distract security with fake calls and long conversations about broken room furniture and hotel property. Some brave and determined ladies even got undressed to distract the attention of security while their accomplices attempted to make away with the art. Other tricks included impersonating hotel staff and Twittering every move.

Since the artwork failed to find a new owner, the Art Series Hotels will donate Pulp Fiction to Australian Crime Stoppers in a bid to signal that this stunt was in the name of fun, and not an endorsement of art theft.

sections: Society, Culture