The act took place on Monday morning and was caught on CCTV.
Damien Hirst artwork worth £33,000 was stolen early on Monday morning from a gallery in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Police are appealing for witnesses after two signed works of art were stolen from the Exhibitionist Gallery in Blenheim Crescent.
The art was stolen between the hours of 3:00 and 3.30am on Monday with the act being caught on the gallery’s CCTV.
“It appears the suspect has specifically targeted the two pieces,” said Detective Sergeant Jon Lightfoot, from Kensington and Chelsea Borough.
“The items would have been visible in the back of the car and we are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with information to please come forward.”
The suspect forced the front doors open and drove away with the art in a dark-coloured hatchback towards Ladbroke Grove.
The larger artwork is named Pyronin Y, worth £15,000 and created in 2005.
The second piece, created in 2008, named Oleoylsarcosine looks similar and is worth £18,000.
Damien Hirst is a member of the Young British Artists and is internationally renowned despite being a controversial figure for using dead animals in his exhibitions.
He is believed to be Britain’s richest artist with the Sunday Times rich list in 2010 calculating his net worth as £215million and is believed to have helped raise the profile of British art.
Anyone with information should contact the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit at Notting Hill Police Station on 020 8246 0230 or, to remain anonymous, Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Photo courtesy of Luke Stephenson, with thanks.
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