Elusive artist Banksy gives print worth $30,000 to boy on train

Elusive graffiti artist Banksy has reportedly surprised a UK teenager with a print worth $30,000.

The man introduced himself as Robin Banks, a name that has been linked to Banksy, before handing over the iconic print to 14-year-old Ben Azarya on a train in Oxenholme, Cumbria.

He had signed it and told the teen, "This will be worth about ($30,000) – have a good life, brother."

Azarya, from Kendal, Cumbria, had no idea who Banksy was until he returned home and researched the artist on the internet.

"He was on the phone for most of the time talking to someone called AK47," Ben said.

"He opened his rucksack and had a gas mask and spray paints inside. He got out a piece of paper and had colors marked on it of what he had been trying out and he dropped his colors.

"I picked them up for him and after that he started signing it in weird letters and numbers. He said 'do you know who Robin Banks is?' I said no."

Intense speculation surrounds the identity of Banksy, whose artwork has fetched more than $1.5m at auction.

Ben described the man he encountered as white and in his late 40s.

"He was wearing scruffy clothes and he had a black, fluffy hat which looked really old," he said.

"He had a little jacket that didn't go over his arms and jeans with paint on. He looked really wacky and had blonde hair and blue eyes."

The teen has been in touch with Bonhams Auction House and said he had no qualms about selling the artwork, if it proves to be real.

Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Simon Black
Source: New York Daily News