MELBOURNE — Art Series Hotel Group, owners of three art-themed boutique hotels each inspired and dedicated to a different Australian contemporary artist, has managed to drum up a storm of publicity by offering an irresistable challenge to wannabe art thieves, daring them to steal a work of art byBanksy from one of their hotels. From the December 15, 2011 to January 15, 2012, paying guests were encouraged to try their hand at pilfering signed and authenticated work by the street art legend. If the aspiring crook could sneak the piece past hotel staff and out of the hotel without getting caught, it was theirs. But budding bandits had first to find the work of art — which was moved between the three hotels to make a heist even trickier.