Two men were caught on surveillance video scaling a Greenpoint building in the early morning hours and chipping away tiles from the neighborhood’s long-standing “Pizza Invader” mosaic above a Nassau Avenue pizzeria, according to residents. Neighbors say the pair ripped off nearly 20 tiles before bolting down the block, which was especially unnerving since the artwork sits directly beneath a child’s bedroom window. The tile piece, by French street artist Invader, had been mounted there for more than a decade.
In the footage, one man braces a ladder while the other pries at the colorful tiles, according to News 12 Brooklyn. Witnesses told the outlet the clattering of tools and tile woke nearby households, and that the men sprinted off once they had peeled away nearly 20 pieces. Works by Invader have sold at auction for a wide range of prices, from the low thousands up to six figures, which helps explain why his public mosaics sometimes become targets. Price records are tracked by sites such as MutualArt.
Not the first time
Street-art watchers say what happened in Greenpoint fits a pattern. In 2024 and 2025, several Invader mosaics around New York City were damaged or removed, and in at least one earlier case suspects even circled back to the scene, as documented by EV Grieve. Those incidents set off public outcry and prompted warnings from the artist that once tiles are pried off a wall they lose their context and often their value. Locals in Greenpoint say this latest hit has them checking cameras a little more often and making sure lights and locks are in good working order.
Why thieves target mosaics
Some collectors prize work by well-known street artists, and recognizable pieces can tempt opportunistic thieves. At the same time, Invader and local observers note that mosaics yanked from facades frequently end up cracked, incomplete, or otherwise damaged. That tension between potential resale value in a controlled setting and the fragility of tiles in the wild is one reason advocates and building owners are wary. Neighbors say the damage is both a repair headache for the pizzeria and a hit to the block’s character.
Police told residents they were called around 1:30 a.m. about two men using a ladder near the building, and later received another report of people banging on a resident’s window at 35 Nassau Ave. Officers said they found no damage to that property, according to News 12 Brooklyn. It was not immediately clear whether any arrests had been made, and neighbors say they have already shared surveillance clips with the local precinct. Residents add that they plan to keep funneling footage to police and neighborhood groups until whoever is responsible is identified.
For now, the battered “Pizza Invader” hangs on as a small but very visible scar on a block that prides itself on public art. Neighbors say they are hoping the video trail leads to an arrest, that the mosaic can be repaired or reinstalled, and that the next person who tries to chip it away ends up on camera and in custody instead of disappearing into the night.
