Damien Hirst signed paintings worth £33,000 stolen from London gallery

Two Damien Hirst paintings worth £33,000 have been stolen from an art gallery in London.

The signed artworks were stolen from the Exhibitionist Gallery in Notting Hill in the early hours of Monday morning.

The two pieces, which form part of Hirst’s ‘spot paintings', are painted with mutli-coloured dots on a white background.

The larger of the two artworks, “Pyronin Y”, was created in 2005 and is worth £15,000.

The other painting, entitled “Oleoylsarcosine”, was created in 2008 and is valued at £18,000.

A suspect entered the gallery by forcing the front doors and drove the items away in a dark-coloured hatchback-type vehicle towards Ladbroke Grove, according to police reports.

The paintings were taken from the gallery in Blenheim Crescent between 3.00 and 3.30 am on Monday.

Det Sgt Jon Lightfoot said: “It appears the suspect has specifically targeted the two pieces. 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.”

Independent readers have the chance to win an original Damien Hirst as part of the Christmas appeal.

The work has been specially commissioned for the Elephant Crisis appeal, which aims to protect Kenya's elephants from armed poachers.

Readers have until 10am on Wednesday 11 December to bid on the artworks.