A man on Antiques Roadshow who had stolen a Banksy design attempted to get it valued on the show, and was reprimanded by the expert for his actions.

The art in question showcases a cartoon rat holding onto a power drill, and had been found at the Saltdean Lido in Brighton.

In previously unseen footage as part of The Best Of The Summer compilation show, the guest seller told art expert Rupert Maas he had taken the design from a wall without permission, and was appearing in the hopes of finding out how much it was worth.

He explained: ‘I used to live in Brighton in the late 90s, early 2000s, and I was walking along the Brighton seafront when I saw it on the Lido.

‘It looked loose, I went over, pulled it off basically.’

As Rupert asked the man what he wanted to know about the art, he responded: ‘I know what it is, I know what year it was, it was around 2004, I’m basically just trying to get a valuation of it.’

However, Rupert pointed out that Banksy ‘manages his brand very, very carefully’ and that you can apply online for a certificate of authenticity of his work, with one being issued if the art is indeed the real deal.

He also states that a certificate can also only be given if Banksy and his team believe that ‘the work has not been removed from the public domain for which it was painted, and into the private’.

When asked if he had tried to obtain a certificate in the past, the man said: ‘I have yes. They said they couldn’t claim if it was an original Banksy.

‘I know it’s real, because Brighton was hit quite a bit by Banksy when he was down there around that time.’

Rupert then told him: ‘I think the message is, if you do see a piece of graffiti art out there, leave it for the public. I’m not lecturing you, I’m just saying, but without that certificate, it’s just very difficult to sell.

‘With it, it might be worth £20,000. Without it, you’re nowhere. I’m sorry.’

Over on Twitter, fans of the show couldn’t believe what they had just witnessed, with one commenting: ‘The cheek of nicking a Banksy and then going on the #antiquesroadshow to get it valued.’

Antiques Roadshow continues next Sunday at 7pm on BBC One.

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