10 episodes

There aren’t many people who can say that they’ve had a Banksy statue in their back garden, but Andy Link is one of them. In 2004, he kidnapped one of Banksy’s pieces of art in broad daylight from the middle of central London, and held it to ransom. The fact that someone would kidnap a Banksy statue is pretty absurd already, but the story of why it happened, how the statue vanished again after it was kidnapped, and how it was mysteriously put up for auction over 10 years later is even wilder. It all comes down to 1 man, and a 2 decade long vendetta. The story will take us on a journey through UK’s most subversive sub-cultures: from art heists and art terrorists, to 80s football hooliganism, the 90s illegal rave scene, even fetish parties. While all the while, we try to track down one of the most elusive anonymous artists in the world. All to discover…who robs a Banksy??

From Podimo and Message Heard

Who Robs A Banksy‪?‬ Podimo UK

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.2 • 119 Ratings

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

There aren’t many people who can say that they’ve had a Banksy statue in their back garden, but Andy Link is one of them. In 2004, he kidnapped one of Banksy’s pieces of art in broad daylight from the middle of central London, and held it to ransom. The fact that someone would kidnap a Banksy statue is pretty absurd already, but the story of why it happened, how the statue vanished again after it was kidnapped, and how it was mysteriously put up for auction over 10 years later is even wilder. It all comes down to 1 man, and a 2 decade long vendetta. The story will take us on a journey through UK’s most subversive sub-cultures: from art heists and art terrorists, to 80s football hooliganism, the 90s illegal rave scene, even fetish parties. While all the while, we try to track down one of the most elusive anonymous artists in the world. All to discover…who robs a Banksy??

From Podimo and Message Heard

Listen on Apple Podcasts
Requires subscription and macOS 11.4 or higher

    A Statue In Central London

    A Statue In Central London

    Andy Link is no ordinary guy. He’s touched almost every iconic British subculture going - from football hooliganism, to illegal raves to the street art scene. But perhaps most surprisingly, in 2004, he masterminded the kidnapping of a Banksy statue from the centre of central London in broad daylight. Journalist Jake Warren sets out to discover who this guy really is, and what he’s got against Banksy.

    From Podimo & Message Heard, this is Who Robs A Banksy?

    CREDITS:
    Presented by Jake Warren
    Produced and written by Bea Duncan
    Music composed by Tom Biddle
    Production support from Harry Stott and Blu Posner
    Sound engineered by Ivan Eastley
    Executive Producer for Message Heard: Sandra Ferrari
    Executive Producers for Podimo: Jake Chudnow and Matt White

    • 30 min
    A Statue In Central London

    A Statue In Central London

    Andy Link is no ordinary guy. He’s touched almost every iconic British subculture going - from football hooliganism, to illegal raves to the street art scene. But perhaps most surprisingly, in 2004, he masterminded the kidnapping of a Banksy statue from the centre of central London in broad daylight. Journalist Jake Warren sets out to discover who this guy really is, and what he’s got against Banksy.

    From Podimo & Message Heard, this is Who Robs A Banksy?

    CREDITS:
    Presented by Jake Warren
    Produced and written by Bea Duncan
    Music composed by Tom Biddle
    Production support from Harry Stott and Blu Posner
    Sound engineered by Ivan Eastley
    Executive Producer for Message Heard: Sandra Ferrari
    Executive Producers for Podimo: Jake Chudnow and Matt White

    The Signature

    The Signature

    Kidnapping a statue to get revenge on someone? Seems pretty extreme. What could possibly have caused a feud that would elicit such a reaction? Jake learns the origin story, while also travelling back to Andy’s childhood - rife with political upheaval and football hooliganism - to get a better understanding of how he’s wired. And the team gets one step closer to Banksy himself…

    From Podimo & Message Heard, this is Who Robs A Banksy?

    CREDITS:
    Presented by Jake Warren
    Produced and written by Bea Duncan
    Music composed by Tom Biddle
    Production support from Harry Stott and Blu Posner
    Sound engineered by Ivan Eastley
    Executive Producer for Message Heard: Sandra Ferrari
    Executive Producers for Podimo: Jake Chudnow and Matt White

    The Signature

    The Signature

    Kidnapping a statue to get revenge on someone? Seems pretty extreme. What could possibly have caused a feud that would elicit such a reaction? Jake learns the origin story, while also travelling back to Andy’s childhood - rife with political upheaval and football hooliganism - to get a better understanding of how he’s wired. And the team gets one step closer to Banksy himself…

    From Podimo & Message Heard, this is Who Robs A Banksy?

    CREDITS:
    Presented by Jake Warren
    Produced and written by Bea Duncan
    Music composed by Tom Biddle
    Production support from Harry Stott and Blu Posner
    Sound engineered by Ivan Eastley
    Executive Producer for Message Heard: Sandra Ferrari
    Executive Producers for Podimo: Jake Chudnow and Matt White

    • 33 min
    Freedom to Party

    Freedom to Party

    While Banksy might turn out to not be as anti-establishment as we once thought, it’s time to hear about Andy’s contrarian movements - and how his involvement with sub-cultures massively backfired on him. And in perhaps the most anti-establishment move possible, Andy starts to put his plan to get his own back on Banksy into action…

    From Podimo & Message Heard, this is Who Robs A Banksy?

    CREDITS:
    Presented by Jake Warren
    Produced and written by Bea Duncan
    Music composed by Tom Biddle
    Production support from Harry Stott and Blu Posner
    Sound engineered by Ivan Eastley
    Executive Producer for Message Heard: Sandra Ferrari
    Executive Producers for Podimo: Jake Chudnow and Matt White

    • 33 min
    The Banksy Machine

    The Banksy Machine

    After the failure of Finger In A Matchbox, Andy spends some time behind bars - with plenty of stories that continue to illuminate his character. Back in 2004, the heist completed, Andy begins negotiations with Banksy over ‘The Drinker’. And Jake explores the potential dark side to The Banksy Machine…

    From Podimo & Message Heard, this is Who Robs A Banksy?

    CREDITS:
    Presented by Jake Warren
    Produced and written by Bea Duncan
    Music composed by Tom Biddle
    Production support from Harry Stott and Blu Posner
    Sound engineering by Ivan Eastley
    Executive Producer for Message Heard: Sandra Ferrari
    Executive Producers for Podimo: Jake Chudnow and Matt White

    • 28 min

Customer Reviews

4.2 out of 5
119 Ratings

119 Ratings

jakewarrenforpresident ,

10/10 dulcet tones

Gripping story? Yes
Faultless investigation? Yes
Dulcet tones? YES

My only complaint is that there aren’t more episodes.

the 23rd oracle ,

‘Facts’ should be checked

Interesting story, but Andy is clearly a chancer so his claims, and so called facts, should have been more thoroughly checked. For example, the rave was not the biggest mass arrest in uk history - try researching New Age Traveller arrests, over 400 at the Battle of the Beanfield in 1985 and 270 on the A36 near Hanging Langford in 1986 for example.
It’s a ripping yarn, but the podcaster has got too close to his subject.

gpik81 ,

Brilliant

What a fantastic podcast- I began by hating Andy but finished by somewhat admiring him. It really puts Banksy/art world in a different light to the “cool guy”I’ve always perceived. Great research and great interviews!

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