NEWS - Australian Hotel offers a Banksy... if you can steal it

A MELBOURNE hotel is looking to grow its business by challenging patrons to steal the art off its walls.

In a campaign designed by ad agency Naked, the Art Series Hotels, notable for the fine art adorning its rooms and hallways, is doing its bit for tourism by promoting theft.

The hotel has placed an original Banksy work of art on its walls valued at up to $15,000, with the challenge that anyone who can steal it can keep it.

Those who fail to pull off the heist will have to return the work of art to the hotel wall.

The piece, No Ball Games, is just one of a handful of signed Banksy's available in Australia.

The promotion runs from December 15 until the middle of January and is open to anyone who stays in the hotel.

Melbourne has a fine history of art theft with Picasso's Weeping Woman stolen from the National Gallery in 1986 and held for ransom.

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