Moment 'furious' vigilante tears down shrine left for Henry Vincent, career criminal killed by pensioner

This is the moment a furious man destroys a shrine dedicated to a career criminal who was killed by a pensioner during a break-in.

Flowers and balloons were tied to a fence near to the home of Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, in memory of Henry Vincent, a burglar who preyed on the elderly who died following a confrontation with the pensioner in south-east London last week.

A group of women erected the memorial to the 37-year-old on Monday, after he died from a stab wound. They attached flowers and cards to a fence near Mr Osborn-Brooks' home in South Park Crescent, Hither Green.

But last night one enraged man ripped down the shrine in a rage, cutting and tearing the flowers from the fence.

The man detailed how he drove to the south London home, removed the tributes and left the flowers at a nearby graveyard.

"When I heard that the family of Henry Vincent (the burglar that got stabbed to death by his intended victim), had placed flowers on the road where he died, I was extremely furious," he said.

"It infuriated me, so I just drove to south London, to the area to see it myself. Decided to remove the trash though."

In the clip, the man is seen approaching a house on South Park Crescent and asking the owner for permission to tear down the flowers, which are tied up outside.

After he receives permission from the owner, the man begins to dismantle the shrine one by one.

"Since I have permission from the owner, I'm gonna do it," he says.

He films himself ripping down the bouquets, counting aloud as he goes, before putting the flowers in the boot of his car and driving away.

"One, two, three, four..," he says.

Neighbours had blasted the shrine left by the criminal's family and friends, branding the tributes "disgraceful" and a "taunt".

Over the weekend a few cards and flowers were left near to Mr Osborn-Brooks' house, but the shrine soon grew to include balloons and bunches of flowers.

Three women were pictured at the scene on Monday attaching more tributes to the fence, which included balloons and cards that read "you will be missed" and "I love you", including one beginning "To my Daddy".

NHS worker, Kayleigh Taylor, 23, said: "That is a really disgraceful display. They should not have this outside the house."

While one resident said of the mourners: "They have taken over the road, but he can’t move back. It doesn't seem fair."

It comes as Mr Osborn-Brooks and his disabled wife Maureen, 77, are said to be hiding out at a different house amid fears they could be targeted by friends of Vincent.

A former acquaintance of the burglar has warned his friends and family are seeking revenge after the pensioner.

The friend said: "There is nothing they won't do to get their own back."

Vincent's accomplice on the night he died managed to escape and remains on the run.

Billy Jeeves, 28, is being sought by police following the burglary at around 12.45am on Wednesday April 4, Scotland Yard said.

Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murdering intruder Henry Vincent, 37, who died following a struggle in the botched raid at his home, but was told he will face no further action over the death.

The Met Police released a mugshot of Jeeves and said he has links to Orpington and Swanley in Kent, and Cambridge.

Officers also want to hear from anybody who may have seen his vehicle, a white Vauxhall Astra van with registration GU52 AXT, in the days and hours before and after the burglary.