'Henry had a heart of gold!': Flowers and card left outside OAP's boarded-up home for burglar who was stabbed to death by 78-year-old homeowner during late night break-in
- Case of burglar killed 'by pensioner' during break-in has sparked national debate
- Henry Vincent, 37, died after being stabbed during a botched raid in OAP's home
- Richard Osborn-Brooks, 72, fought off Vincent and stabbed him in the struggle
- Despite public sympathy for Mr Osborn-Brooks a card has paid tribute to burglar
A card left outside of the home of a pensioner who stabbed a burglar to death while defending his disabled wife has remarkably paid tribute to the intruder.
Henry Vincent, 37, died after being stabbed during a botched raid at the south-east London home of Richard Osborn-Brooks in the early hours of Wednesday.
Despite near unanimous public sympathy for Mr Osborn-Brooks, who was arrested and later released, one mysterious well-wisher said career criminal Vincent had a 'heart of gold', in the card, left along with some flowers, outside of the crime scene.
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A twisted card left outside of the home of a pensioner who stabbed a burglar to death while defending his disabled wife has paid tribute to the home invader
The letter, seen by dozens of passing well-wishers, says: 'Henry, loved and cared for by many.
A heart of gold, may god bless you and give you peace in heaven xx Sorely missed.'
The card was planted accompanied by a bouquet of red gerbera daisies, lily buds and chrysanthemums - tied to wooden corner post.
Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murder but has now been told that no action will be taken following discussions between the Met Police and Crown Prosecution Service.
Despite near unanimous public sympathy for Mr Osborn-Brooks, who was arrested and later released, one mysterious well wisher said Vincent had a 'heart of gold' in a card left along with some flowers outside of the crime scene
Henry Vincent (left) died from a stab wound after struggling with Richard Osborn-Brooks (right) following a break-in at the pensioner's home this week
On Friday afternoon, Mr Osborn-Brooks' house was boarded up and CCTV cameras were installed amid fears the pensioner might be attacked.
Officers have also spoken with the family of Vincent who have been informed of the decision and the reasons for it have been explained to them.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Harding, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: 'This is a tragic case for all of those involved.
On Friday, Mr Osborn-Brooks' house was boarded up and CCTV cameras were installed amid fears the pensioner might be attacked. Officers have also spoken with the family of Vincent who have been informed of the decision and the reasons for it have been explained to them
'As expected with any incident where someone has lost their life, my officers carried out a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the death.
'We have approached the CPS for early investigative advice, as required under the guidance.
'We have received and considered that advice, and, at present - on the evidence available - we will not seek a charging decision. Therefore, no further action will be taken against the man.
'Whilst there might be various forms of debate about which processes should be used in cases such as this, it was important that the resident was interviewed by officers under the appropriate legislation of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act; not only for the integrity of our investigation but also so that his personal and legal rights were protected.
Following his release, a cousin of a burglar said she was angry the OAP was bailed. The unnamed relative of his has insisted however that he was a 'loving person' and the pensioner he fought with should be kept in custody as police investigate him for murder
Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murder but has now been told that no action will be taken following discussions between the Met Police and Crown Prosecution Service
'There will be an inquest in due course which will further review the circumstances into Mr Vincent's death in a public forum.
'Our thoughts remain with the families whose lives have been devastated by these events.'
Following his release, a cousin of a burglar said she was angry the OAP was bailed.
The unnamed relative of his has insisted however that he was a 'loving person' and the pensioner he fought with should be kept in custody as police investigate him for murder.
The woman told BBC's South East Today: 'I don't know what happened in that home but all I know is my cousin is dead today.
Mr Osborn-Brooks' arrest on suspicion of murder, reignited a national debate about the rights of homeowners to protect themselves during break-ins
'The Henry I know, he was such a loving person and I think it is probably something that just went wrong but he shouldn't have died out of it.'
Meanwhile, footage has emerged of the moment a burglar lay dying in the street after struggling with a pensioner during a break-in.
Mr Osborn-Brooks' arrest on suspicion of murder, reignited a national debate about the rights of homeowners to protect themselves during break-ins.
Footage obtained by the BBC now shows Vincent laying the street as emergency service workers fight to keep him alive.
The homeowner who filmed the scene is heard saying: 'It's a stabbing. A stabbing. [They're] trying to revive him. I think he's gone.'
During the botched raid in South Park Crescent, Hither Green, an accomplice dragged Vincent toward a van before leaving him for dead, according to a witness.
He was found collapsed in nearby Further Green Road by paramedics from London Ambulance Service, who took him to hospital where he died shortly before 4am.
The second man has not been found and at least one suspect was believed to be armed with a screwdriver, police said.
Footage filmed by a neighbour shows the moment burglar Henry Vincent was treated by emergency services after he was stabbed during a break-in in south-east London this week
Police remaineded at Mr Osborn-Brooks' after his arrest on Wednesday as they attempted to track down the second burglary suspect
Vincent, 37, had been on a police force's 'most wanted' list, had a string of convictions and was suspected of burglaries targeting the vulnerable.
He was a predatory conman, burglar, drug addict and fraudster who had spent the past 15 years preying on the vulnerable.
At the time of the break-in, Vincent was one of Kent Police's most wanted criminals who was on the run after a distraction burglary last November which targeted a man in his 70s in Farningham, Kent.
The career criminal hails from a family of cowboy builders who were jailed for a total of 30 years for fleecing elderly householders out of more than £1million in 2003, police believe. Together with his father, Henry Charles Vincent, and five uncles, the younger Vincent tricked pensioners into handing over cash for fake building works after telling them their houses were about to fall down.
After Vincent was released from a four-year jail term for that scam, he and his father conned an 81-year-old pensioner out of £72,000 to repair a single tile on his roof in 2009.
In 2013, Vincent was put on Kent Police's 'most wanted' list following another raid in Gravesend.
A friend of Mr Osborn-Brooks described him as a 'gentleman' and said he would have only acted to defend his wife, who is understood to suffer from dementia
Police forensics experts have been scouring the street after a murder probe was launched
A car was removed from the scene yesterday as police continue to appeal for information
Is this 'armed burglar's' accomplice trying to escape? CCTV shows white van speeding away from the scene as police hunt second suspect after OAP 'stabbed intruder to death in break-in'
By Sarah White For MailOnline
CCTV footage shows a white van speeding away from the scene of a burglary after a home owner allegedly stabbed the intruder to death.
Pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, is accused of killing 'career criminal' Henry Vincent, 37, after he broke into his property in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The video, obtained exclusively by MailOnline, is being examined by detectives who are hunting the second burglar who fled in a white van after failing to resuscitate Mr Vincent. The driver remains at large.
GM Motors garage owner Gul Mohammadi, 29, handed his footage over to police officers after discovering that his camera had captured the moment when the vehicle raced out of the junction of Further Green Road in Hither Green, south-east London , on Wednesday morning at just after 12.50am – five minutes after Mr Vincent was found fatally wounded just yards along the same street.
Married father-of four Mr Mohammadi told MailOnline: '[The police] wouldn't say too much about what was going on. But they took my CCTV away with them and they definitely seemed to be interested in the white Vauxhall Astra van seen speeding down Fortune Green Road and into Verdant Lane at 12.50am.'
The Afghan mechanic, who's lived in Britain for 18 years, added: 'What's happened to Richard Osborn-Brooks, where an elderly man and his poorly wife have been targeted while they're in their beds in the middle of the night, it's been a long time coming around here.'
The alleged intruder is understood to have been found collapsed in a neighbouring street after fleeing the couple's home
It comes as the identity of the burglar who lost his life was revealed. He died of a single stab wound following a struggle after he broke into pensioner Mr Osborn-Brooks' home armed with a screwdriver with another unnamed man around the corner from where he was eventually found.
Mr Osborn-Brooks, 78, was released on bail earlier until next month after initially being arrested on suspicion of murder. He had been in bed with his wife Maureen, who is believed to suffer from dementia, at the time of the incident.
The alleged intruder is understood to have been found collapsed in a neighbouring street after fleeing the couple's home
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