'We are shocked and appalled' - Watch as brazen thief steals public artwork from West Midlands street in broad daylight
The thief boarded a bus with the artwork before being arrested.
Video footage shows the moment a brazen thief stole a piece of public art in broad daylight.
The hand-painted mural, next to Lloyds Bank on Birmingham Road, Sutton Coldfield, had been commissioned and funded by Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield BID - the town’s Business Improvement District.
BID said it transformed a blank space that had sat untouched for over 20 years into something vibrant and meaningful for Sutton Coldfield town centre.
But on Friday morning, at around 6am, a thief attempted to steal the artwork.
However, the theft was actually filmed by a local resident who called 999.
Bosses at BID said the thief was then seen to board a bus with the painting, but was stopped and arrested by police who recovered the artwork.
Adam Howe, 45, from Birmingham, was due before the city’s Magistrates Court charged with theft.
Posting on Facebook, Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield BID said: “There’s something both frustrating and strangely encouraging about this.
“Yes, it’s disappointing that someone would attempt to take something created for everyone.
“But it also shows just how much people care and how quickly a community can act to protect what belongs to it.
“Public art isn’t just decoration. It’s identity, pride, and shared ownership of place. And clearly… worth defending. BIG thank you to Gary the resident and the police.
“Any fans of Sian Storey Art we promise she’s much easier to contact than attempting a heist, drop her a message for your own piece rather than ‘relocating’ ours .”
Michelle Baker, BID Manager, Visit Royal Sutton Coldfield, added: “We are shocked and appalled that a piece of public art, created for everyone to enjoy, has been brazenly stolen in broad daylight.
“The chaffinch artwork is part of an art trail we commissioned and funded which was designed to bring pride, colour and positivity to Sutton Coldfield, so to see it targeted like this is both disappointing and deeply frustrating.
“We are incredibly grateful to Gary the resident who not only filmed the theft, but also called the police and then followed the thief where he boarded a bus.
“The police tracked the bus down and arrested the thief on the bus with the painting. Without that swift action, this could have been a very different outcome.
“The artwork has been recovered and will be reinstated as soon as possible, this time with enhanced security measures, including anti-vandal fixings!
“It’s unacceptable that initiatives designed to improve our town are undermined in this way, but this won’t deter us.
“We remain fully committed to delivering a vibrant, welcoming town centre that everyone can be proud of.”
A West Midlands Police spokesman said: “A man has been charged after a mural was stolen from a wall in Sutton Coldfield town centre.
“Adam Howe, 45, from Birmingham, was due before the city’s Magistrates Court charged with theft.
“It comes after we were called around 6am yesterday (24 April) to a report the mural had been removed from a wall on Birmingham Road.
“Officers were quickly on the case and tracked a suspect onto a bus.
“A man was arrested on College Road a short time later, and the stolen mural was recovered.
“We’re grateful to community partners and members of the public who reported this and provided information to us.”