Mystery Over Stolen Banksy Deepens, Auction Moving Forward

With little information being released by the auction house, who say everything has been done legally, and silence from Banksy and his handling service, Pest Control, the mystery over a "stolen" street-art mural which has shown up for sale in Miami has deepened while the auction house pledges to move forward with the sale. Take a look...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/feb/20/bansky-mural-slave-labour-miami-auction

I think this is a problem that isn't going to go away. Banksy is a multi-million dollar brand, and as long as he continues to leave work out in the open, someone will find a way to profit from it. I think this quote from an art dealer who has been in a similar situation outlines the problem well...

"I admire Banksy's work, he is a genius. [But] he does something on other people's property without asking. The owner of the property can do whatever they want with it. Why should the auction house reveal who is behind it?"

And I guess as long as it's the property owner that's the one selling the thing, there's really nothing Banksy or any resident can say...that's the danger of making your art with someone else's stuff...