The taking it off a building is one thing. I get that that could be tempting for some, but the willingness to gladly admit it on TV. I mean the amount of flak he's gonna catch from near and far. He obviously didn't think this through.

Might be staged.

So Banksy is his own establishment now?

Good for him.

True, you can never be sure of anything when it comes to Banksy.

Destruction of public property charges come to mind. If the certificate of auth came through, I'd charge him with theft of 20,000 pounds.

"Wot you got there, then?"
"Uh, it's a painting by some Italian chap..."
"The Mona Lisa?"
"Nawr, I think 'is name was Leonardo or somefing like that."
"No, the painting is called the Mona Lisa. How'd you come by it, then?"
"Well, that's a bit of a story then, innit? I was walking through this huge building in Paris..."
"The Louvre?"
"Naw mate, I done a pee 'fore I got here!"
"The building is called The Louvre."
".. and anyway, there's this group of people all lolly-gaggin' about and looking at this picture on the wall. I thought, 'ere -- that looks nice then, dunnit? So I walked over, pried it off the wall, and sodded off with it."
"You stole the Mona Lisa?"
"It weren't so much stealin' loike as much as it were, y'know, takin' it on me own accord what for I wanted it."
"Aaand what would you like to know about it?"
"Give me five quid?"
"For the Mona Lisa?!"
"4 pound six, then."
"It's STOLEN, mate!"
"Only a little..."
"The French are going to want that back, you know."
"Ok then -- uh, three bob and we stop this ridiculous thing right here and now."
"Two and I'll hit 'delete' as soon as were done."
"Deal!"