A local witnessed this burglary next to the Hopetoun in Surry Hills.

Alex Wain spotted it yesterday (see more of his gorgeous photos here).

What better way to start Jan 1st 2011, than with some photos from my ‘hood.

Even photographed a burglary taking place.

It’s not often we get such witty street art in the neighbourhood at the moment. Anyone know who’s responsible?

This rat is riding a shopping trolley on a red wall on Llankelly Place, Potts Point.

A lot of glue has been spilled on walls since we last walked through.

It’s been quiet on the street art front lately. But there’s a wild amount of development happening on Llankelly Place at the moment, it seems like every second shop is a new cafe. End result, a heightened graffiti scene?

These paste ups by Loom have a heavy sea shanty vibe. Ink fading and dog-eared, despite being new, which seems appropriate to the subject. A bearded old man of the sea, a kindly Neptune?

And a lean pirate, twitchy for his next target.

On the other hand, here’s a robot and another wise old man.

It’s really interesting on Llankelly Place at the moment. A lot of development, but still a lot of empty retail space. We were impressed when it first reappeared, but it’s taken a while to pick up.

There’s a big bold line between the displays in the shops around our neighbourhood, and the by the cover of dark displays on the walls, but it’s getting blurry. And Goulburn Street, Surry Hills, is a prime location.

That’s a collaboration between Houl and Scribla – possibly called ‘Chopper Kurt De Niro: It hurts…’

We’ve seen great work around the corner on Arnold Street in the past. Beastman’s gone now, though. Now it’s another piece: ‘Chasing Love’. This time by a couple of Melbourne artists, MaxCat (aka Justin Feuerring) and Miss Riz.

On the other side of Goulburn Street, Cafe Lounge has a beautifully abstract wall, signed ‘S.H.’ I don’t know any more about that one.

With the Record Store on one side of the street and Cafe Lounge on the other, it makes for a bright, regularly changing street. Obviously it’s good marketing. But it makes a real addition to the streetscape, too. You get the sense they’re part of the neighbourhood, and that’s a good thing.

This customised street mirror is on Wisdom Lane, Darlinghurst. It’s a side street that’s really barely used since the Eastern Distributor went through. So I guess there’s not much need for a 180 degree mirror.

It looks like a sad old sun to us. There’s something Duchamp about it, too, with the assemblage of mirror and coat hanger. It was spotted by one of our readers.

Signs saying ‘Oblivion’ have appeared all over the neighbourhood – @nellgreco spotted this one on the corner of Campbell and Smith Streets, Surry Hills, as she walked home.

It’s obviously a take on the chalked signs Arthur Stace used to scribble out saying ‘Eternity’ – but why and who remain a mystery. Reference to the state government’s electoral hopes? New band? Buckminster Fuller graffiti?

We even had an email from Barry Divola, asking if we knew who was behind it.

I thought it might be a pessimistic 21st century response to Arthur Stace’s “Eternity”. I’m hoping that it is, anyway, and not just some guerilla marketing campaign for some new product or fashion company.

We thought it might be another bit of guerrilla advertising, but so far we’re none the wiser. Any ideas?

Photocopied four-ups like this have been popping up all around the neighbourhood. This time it’s Crown Street, Surry Hills.

We thought they were some kind of guerrilla advertising for the tobacco industry – all the ones we’d seen had cigarettes.

Turns out this one doesn’t. Thanks for noticing, @poisontofu.

I spotted these photocopied pictures on Liverpool Lane, down near Crown Street, East Sydney – but they’ve been appearing on walls around the neighbourhood.

I assumed it was street art. But the more I think about it, the more I think it could be a kind of guerrilla cigarette advertising. They all feature these hip looking inner city people smoking, and the cigarettes are really the focus.

I love that street artists have immediately colonised them anyway. And whoever customised the second picture makes the same inference, turning the cigarette into a gun: “Bang!”

Just imagine what these might have seen?

You can find this pair of eyes on Burnell Place, Darlinghurst, just near the corner of Liverpool Lane. It’s on a well camouflaged car park door.

Double mirror? Secret portal? I really like them. Not much more to say.

On Ryder Street, Darlinghurst, someone’s eating their heart out.

“While you make pretty speeches, I’m being cut to shreds,” says the graffiti.

It’s scrawled, but it doesn’t feel rushed. The writing doesn’t give much away.

“You feed me to the lions. A delicate balance.”

A poem?

UPDATE: Duh. Just got a tweeted reply. It’s a Radiohead song, ‘Like Spinning Plates,’ from Amnesiac. Of course it would be. There goes my stadium art rock cred.

This portrait appeared on Llankelly Place, Kings Cross, during the week. It’s by someone called esile.

Whoever made it, their character looks concerned. But I would be too if I had four eyes.