Banksy's SWAT Van artwork led an auction of post-war and contemporary art in London, pulling in a final bid of £218,000 ($293,799).

It was originally shown in his debut exhibition in Los Angeles in 2006.

SWAT Van is fully authenticated by Banksy's Pest Control Office

The piece features two paintings by the artist sprayed on to a defunct police vehicle, offering buyers significant bang for their buck.

It's also fully authenticated by his Pest Control Office.

Ralph Taylor, Bonhams' senior director of post-war and contemporary art, said before the sale: "All of Banksy is on show here: his bravado, his imagination, his technical prowess, his confidence and his willingness to put his head above the parapet and use truth as a weapon."

The 2006 show, Barely Legal, was the moment the artist hit the mainstream in America.

It was attended by a wealth of famous names, including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and showcased Banksy's trademark bludgeoning satire.  

He came up with his iconic stencilling technique by accident.

The lightbulb moment arrived while hiding from police under a lorry. He noticed its stencilled serial number and the rest is history.

The auction grossed £3.8m ($5.2m) in total, with works from artists including Damien Hirst and Yayoi Kusama crossing the block. 

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