Relatives back at burglar’s shrine for third time after locals tear it down

The family of a burglar who was stabbed to death by a pensioner he was trying to rob returned to put flowers up at the shrine for a third time after they were repeatedly removed by locals.

Relatives of the 37-year-old restored a desecrated shrine near the scene of his final raid, only for it to be wrecked within minutes.

A fence opposite the home of Richard Osborn-brooks, 78, has become an unlikely flashpoint of tensions between the grieving family and his neighbours since last week’s incident. Balloons, cards and flowers were removed by supporters of the pensioner, with whom Vincent was involved in a struggle when he broke into the south-east London address on 4 April.

Yesterday afternoon, his loved ones returned to reattach the mementos opposite the property on South Park Crescent, Hither Green.

Elvina Lee, who said she was Vincent’s first cousin, called whoever pulled the tributes down “scum” and labelled Mr Osborn-brooks a “lowlife”.

She said: “This is the best place for these flowers to be. I don’t know what’s wrong with these people (who dismantled them)... I think they’re scum.”

Regarding Vincent she said: “He was like a brother to me, he loved his family and his three babies. He wasn’t a murderer, he wasn’t a rapist, they’re putting (sic) him as a monster.”

The group then drove away in a car which had blown out its tyre when it first pulled up on the road.

But the whole memorial was down again within 20 minutes, removed by a man who said he was “taking these s**t flowers down”, calling it an “insult” to Mr Osborn-brooks. The man, who wore a beanie hat and did not give his name, added: “These need burning.”

The dispute came as a coroner 0 A woman takes flowers to leave at the shrine to Vincent returned the body of the burglar back to his family during an inquest opening yesterday.

Assistant coroner Sarah Ormond-walshe told two of Vincent’s female relatives during a hearing at Southwark Coroner’s Court: “I know you are having a dreadful time - I am releasing the body now.”

Video had earlier emerged online showing a man pulling floral tributes to Vincent down from fences.

A man who wished to remain anonymous said he drove from his home in north London to remove flowers laid in tribute to Vincent, after becoming “infuriated”.

He said: “It was a residential area they were placing flowers on. [It was] inappropriate, and the guy deserves no tribute.”