GYPSIES WAR OF THE ROSES
Family repair shrine...vigilantes tear it down
A GYPSY war loomed last night as travellers and locals clashed over a shrine of flowers in memory of stabbed burglar Henry Vincent.
Both sides made chilling threats as the memorial to the intruder, killed by home owner Richard Osborn-Brooks, was twice ripped down then repaired.
A GYPSY blood war was close to erupting last night over tributes to stabbed crook Henry Vincent.
Threats were exchanged between travellers and locals as a shrine to the career burglar was repeatedly built up and pulled down again.
Screwdriver-wielding Vincent, 37, died last week when hero pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks stabbed him as he raided the OAP’s home.
Pals of the thief vowed revenge, forcing the 78-year-old into a safe house.
But rivals backing the pensioner last night said they would “put our bodies on the line” if war broke out.
Scores of cards and flowers were placed by travellers at the scene in Hither Green, south London.
After hearing the news, a vigilante who called himself Cecil Coley, after a Manchester florist who stabbed a burglar in 2011, filmed himself ripping them down.
It led to a day-long back and forth between the groups, with gypsies putting up flowers several times, only for them to be dragged away again minutes later.
Cecil said: “When I heard the family of Henry Vincent had placed flowers on the road where he died, I was furious. I decided to remove the trash.” He donated the flowers to a graveyard. As footage of Mr Coley’s actions was shared on social media, Vincent’s sup- porters vowed revenge, with a relative blasting: “I will be nailing his flowers to your front door! I’ll make you eat them.”
Owen Abby Eastwood, a pal of Vincent’s daughters, wrote: “You sick nasty little man, his children put them there for their dad, if u don’t like don’t look at it u PIG.
FEAR
“Ur the scum to talk about a dead man and rip his flowers down.”
His first cousin Elvina Lee called Mr Osborn-Brooks a “murderer”.
Yesterday Vincent’s supporters rebuilt the shrine, but within 30 minutes a burly man in a beanie hat destroyed it again.
He said: “These need burning. It’s an insult. He deserves to be dead.”
Travellers returned later to put the shrine back up and police fear violence if the tributes are removed again.
A traveller who knew Vincent for years warned that the dead man’s relatives and friends were out for blood.
He said: “They won’t get over a death of one of their own and they won’t rest until they get their revenge.”
But Mr Osborn-Brook has also won supporters in the area. One local said: “He’s a hero and he won’t be short of people willing to step in and help if he’s in trouble.”
A coroner yesterday released Vincent’s body to his family after an inquest was opened in Southwark.
Police are still hunting his suspected accomplice Billy Jeeves.
IT is right that the “shrine” to dead burglar Henry Vincent has been ripped down.
Yes, his family should be allowed to grieve over his death.
But is it really necessary to pin up flowers and tributes outside the home he was trying to burgle? Of course it isn’t. Although he was stabbed to death, he is not a victim of crime.
Quite rightly, no charges will be pressed in relation to his killing.
The family must understand why the locals are furious at these tributes.
Vincent was an armed burglar who broke into their friend’s home in the middle of the night.
You can’t blame them for ripping the flowers down.
The police need to step in now before things get more ugly.
Vincent’s family should go away and mourn their loss in private. And Richard Osborn-Brooks should be allowed to return home safely and get on with his life.