'THEY ARE SCUMBAGS!'
Moment furious vigilante tears down Hither Green shrine and tries to rip the head off a teddy bear
A FURIOUS vigilante tried to rip the head off a teddy bear as he destroyed the shrine to "scumbag" burglar Henry Vincent.
Iain Gordon pulled down more than a dozen bunches of flowers during an astonishing 20-minute tirade.
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It is the fourth time the memorial to the career criminal has been torn down in less than two days in Hither Green, South East London.
Tensions have escalated since the family of the burglar killed by pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks defiantly built a shrine outside the OAP's home.
Outraged Iain said criminals should have "no rights" and shouted: "These are scumbags, scumbags, we've had enough in this country of scumbags."
He added: "You've got scumbags coming around here with f***ing toys, coming down here with their f***ing toys.
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"Get rid of all the people that are not human beings. Put them on another planet."
The silver-haired vigilante, who who said he is a volunteer driver for the elderly, read out messages left by children in a mocking voice.
Referring to one mourner who left a tribute, he picked up the message and said: "I will bring it back to you and shove it up your backside if you want."
The stetson-wearing vigilante then picked up an armful of the flowers while kicking remaining bunches down the street away from the scene.
Last night dramatic images showed a hooded vigilante destroying the shrine for the third time.
Some bouquets were left untouched but furious Ian, who referred to himself as "big bear" took them away.
When asked why he tore down the tributes, the bearded vandal said: "If you don't know why the flowers were pulled down you are not a human being.
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'Travellers' in Hither Green put shrine to Henry Vincent, burglar killed by Richard Osborn-Brooks, back up as cousin of dead raider hits out
"Would you go around letting somebody stab your parents, would you?
"Would you let them come down with a screwdriver and the people say they should be considered human beings.
"In this country there should be no rights for criminals."
Iain, who said he represented the Fair Society Campaign, claimed his son had bought drugs from travellers in nearby Orpington.
He then picked up the flowers and carried them down the road before attacking tributes on a nearby sign.
Iain added: "I tell you in this country right there should be no rights for criminals, the only thing they should ever get in prison is bread and water.
"That's what they go to prison for right?"
The silver-haired vigilante said he had never met Richard but hailed him a"hero".
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Police are stood guard outside Richard's boarded-up home, which he and 76-year-old wife Maureen have been too afraid to return to after death threats against him.
Iain blasted: "Why shouldn't he come back and live in his property? What, the police can't protect him?
"He's got to worry about a load of scumbags coming over here, how disgraceful is that?"
Meanwhile, Vincent’s family demanded an apology from Richard and vowed to return to the home every day to replace the messages to “Henryboy”.
On Tuesday night a hooded man, who said he came from Hammersmith, West London, was filmed walking off with flowers.
He ripped 10 bouquets from the fence and dumped them in a nearby street, before driving off.
The mystery vandal stopped to ask police officers if he was breaking any laws and was told “no”.
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Asked if he felt bad for Vincent’s family he said: “I do actually, but I feel extra bad for Mr Osborn-Brooks.”
It is believed it could be the same vigilante who was filmed ripping down the tributes on Monday night, before family members defiantly built the shrine back up at 2.30pm on Tuesday afternoon.
Just 30 minutes later another man was filmed hacking down the bouquets and leaving them in a heap on the floor, claiming they were an "insult" to the pensioner.
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Vincent's family was undeterred, and returned to the site to reassemble the shrine for a third time at 5pm today.
Vincent's aunt said: "If people leave these flowers alone in a week they will die.
"And we will come here and clean this road and go and never come back."
Footage from Monday night showed a man stamping on the tributes in a separate attack, claiming: "The flowers need burning. They are an insult to the memory of the geezer who was burgled."
Battle of the bouquets
Monday, April 9
1.30pm - Henry Vincent’s relatives set up a shrine with dozens of boquets, balloons and cards on Richard Osborn-Brooks street
Late at night - A vigilante identifying himself as Cecil Coley films himself tearing the flowers down one by one
Tuesday, April 10
2.30pm - Female relatives return to the site and rebuild the shrine
2.45pm - An angry neighbour tears down the tributes again
5pm - Defiant relatives build the shrine for a THIRD time
10pm - A man in a hood films himself tearing down the floral tributes
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The vigilante blasted: "Its an insult. I reckon he [Vincent] is good off dead. "He deserves to be dead. All the f*****g family are rubbish."
Despite the threats, three women were pictured returning to restore the bunches of flowers and messages placed by fellow members of Vincent's travelling community near Richard’s house in Hither Green, South East London.
Amongst the items cut down was a grey bear doll with a note which read: ";To my son Henry Boy, my bolo and a brown bear."
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Henry Vincent, 37, died last week after a scuffle with pensioner Richard Osborn-Brooks unfolded in an attempted burglary at Hither Green
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But an end does not appear in sight for the ongoing battle, with mounted stationed outside the home in Hither Green.
Vincent's family have defended the dead burglar, with cousin Elvina Lee described those who ripped the flowers down as "scum".
She said: "This is the best place for these flowers to be.
"He (Vincent) wasn't a murderer. He wasn't a rapist. What they're doing is wrong."
She added: "Have a heart. He [Vincent] has got three babies.
"A family that love him dearly".
Another mourner said: "He had children what loved him. He was a good dad."
It comes after some of Vincent's relatives issued chilling threats to the mystery man who has gone into hiding after filming himself tearing down tributes on Monday night.
Angry local tears down tribute shrine to burglar Henry Vincent killed by OAP Richard Osborn-Brooks
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One threatened to unmask the vigilante and force him to eat the flowers while another branded him a "nasty little man" in a Facebook rant.
She blasted: "I will be nailing his flowers to your front doors with your private property!
"How about that one. I'll make you eat them."
Owen Abby Eastwood, who is a friend of Vincent's daughters, wrote: "You sick nasty little man he's (sic) children put them there for there dad if u don't like then don't look at it u PIG.
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"Ur the scum to talk about a dead man and rip he's (sic) flowers down."
The devastated pal added: "When u die I'm ripping your flowers down."
Another fumed: "Come off the fake pages show your faces cowards."
Footage shows the vigilante cutting floral tributes from lampposts, fences and street signs — and leaving them on the ground.
The move came at around 10pm last night after pals of the stabbed burglar sparked outrage by setting up the shrine yards from the scene of his final crime.
He posted the video on Facebook last night and blasted: "He was a piece of s*** who deserved what he got!!"
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The vigilante became embroiled in a furious row with Vincent's family and friends after posting the clip last night.
But he has since gone into hiding.
The mystery man used a fake name and a faceless profile picture in a bid to stay anonymous and avoid being tracked down.
Footage shows the "extremely furious" vigilante asking a neighbour for permission before ripping down the tributes.
He then loaded the flowers into his car boot and "donated" them to a local graveyard.
Using the alias Cecil Coley, he wrote: "When I heard about the flowers and balloons being left there, it infuriated me, so I just drove to south London, to the area to see it myself.
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Footage shows flowers lying on the ground outside Richard Osborn-Brooks property in Hither Green after the death of Henry Vincent
"Decided to remove the trash though."
He added: "I was happy to do my civil duty."
The vigilante was hailed a "legend" and said he "deserved a medal" by some social media
Meanwhile, Vincent's relatives heard details of his fatal injury today.
The 37-year-old, of Sidcup, Kent, died after suffering a stab wound to his upper body during a raid on Richard's home.
His inquest was opened and adjourned at Southwark Coroner's Court.
Neighbour Theresa Webb, 43, said she was "relieved" the shrine had been taken down.
She said: "It is not the place.
"It was stapled onto the fences of other neighbours who care for Richard.
"It is not nice. No one is in mourning for them here.
"We are a close knit community. The fact they put them there is inappropriate."
A pensioner whose fence was used to pin floral tributes said he hadn't "appreciated" the shrine.
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Another of 78-year-old Richard’s neighbours said: “If it was safe for him to return, that shrine would turn his stomach.
“These people should accept Vincent was the architect of his own death, yet they come here and rub it in Richard’s face.
"They have no shame. Richard is the real victim here.”
The shrine to Vincent was set up as it was revealed Richard and 76- year-old wife Maureen are living in a police safe house following death threats from the criminal’s friends.
A close family friend, who did not want to be identified, said: "He is in a safe house, he is under police protection and faces reprisals.
"All his phones have been changed. He won't answer."
Vincent’s grieving daughter penned a heartbreaking tribute to the burglar, saying she will “never be ashamed to call him daddy”.
The card read: "No matter what people say about you, we know who you are and how you was, anybody who knows you knew what you was like dad.
"Strangers can say what they like about you, they don't no who you was so I don't care, I new you and I loved you more then anything in the world.
"I will never be ashamed to call you my daddy and you was the best one I could ask for.
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"I'm a proud daughter, you would do anything for your family, especially us girls."
They are under 24-hour police protection and have not been able to return to their home since Vincent was fatally stabbed.
A friend said the couple were living in fear after learning Vincent was a traveller.
One member of the travelling community warned: “They won’t get over the death of one of their own and they won’t rest until they get their revenge.
“And when I say revenge, they will go armed with whatever they’ve got — guns, knives. There’s nothing they won’t do to get their own back on this pensioner.”
Richard’s neighbours urged police to remove the shrine to Vincent, who had a history of targeting the elderly. One said: “It’s a disgrace.”
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The tribute was set up by women who clambered on garden walls to attach balloons and flowers to a wooden fence.
Some messages hailed Vincent as a family man and called his death an “injustice”.
Ex-RAC manager and security guard Richard was woken up when Vincent and an accomplice broke in just after midnight.
He investigated and was threatened with a screwdriver. Ex- boxer Vincent was stabbed during a scuffle in the kitchen.
Richard was initially arrested on suspicion of murder but later released without charge.
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Police are hunting Vincent’s suspected accomplice Billy Jeeves, 28. His white Vauxhall Astra van was found burned-out in Orpington at the weekend.
Witnesses saw someone dragging Vincent towards a similar van before leaving him for dead.
Richard was initially arrested on suspicion of murder but later released without charge.
Relative of burglar, Henry Vincent who was 'killed by OAP' is ANGRY pensioner is on bail