Richard Osborn-Brooks tackled a serial criminal Henry Vincent inside his home

Mr Vincent, 37, was taken to hospital and was pronounced dead on Wednesday

Mr Osborn-Brooks, 78, was arrested but has been released with no further action

Pensioner's home now boarded up and cameras have been installed in the street

The pensioner arrested over the killing of a serial burglar who broke into his home has today been released with no further action.

Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, allegedly stabbed career criminal Henry Vincent, 37, at his home in south-east London this week, leading to the burglar's death.

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He 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.

On Friday afternoon, Mr Osborn-Brooks' house was boarded up and CCTV cameras were installed amid fears the pensioner might be attacked.

Richard Osborn-Brooks (pictured), 78, was arrested after burglar Henry Vincent was found stabbed after he broke into his home in south east London this week

Burglar Vincent died after clashing with a pensioner in south-east London on Tuesday night

Henry Vincent died after he struggled with a pensioner during a break-in at a house in Hither Green

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.

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'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.

On Friday afternoon Mr Osborn-Brooks' house was boarded up amid fears for his safety

CCTV cameras were installed in the street where the pensioner killed burglar Vincent

'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.

Workers installed cameras in lampposts in case Osborn-Brooks is attacked or his home vandalised

Officers stand outside the murder scene while workers put up boards and install CCTV

'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.'

Police were called in the early hours of Wednesday morning after reports of a burglary in progress and a man injured at an address in Hither Green.

Mr Osborn-Brooks, who was at home with his disabled wife Maureen, had found two men inside the address and a struggle ensued between him and the men.

The home of Richard Osborn-Brooks in south-east London was today boarded up amid security fears

Mr Osborn-Brooks was described as a 'gentleman' and a friend said he would have only acted to defend his wife, who is understood to suffer from dementia

It is believed that one of the suspects had a screwdriver and threatened the homeowner with it.

Vincent, from Kent, was found collapsed on the street and had suffered a stab wound to the upper body.

He was taken by the London Ambulance Service to a central London hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3.37am.

A post-mortem examination has given a provisional cause of death as a stab wound. Mr Osborn-Brooks suffered bruising to his arms.

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He was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and further arrested on suspicion of murder. He was taken to a south London police before being bailed.

An unnamed cousin of Vincent said on Friday that she was angry the OAP was initially bailed by police.

Richard Osborn-Brooks was arrested on suspicion of murder. The incident has reignited the debate over the rights of homeowners

Henry Vincent has been named as the man who died after a pensioner clashed with suspected burglars at his home in south-east London on Tuesday night

She insisted 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.

'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, the second suspect in the burglary fled the scene prior to police arrival and remains outstanding.

On Friday, his house was being boarded up and metal shutters were placed over windows amid security fears

Two vans, one with a cherry picker on the back, arrived this afternoon to secure the empty house.

Heavy duty security grills were also fitted around all the windows. A forensics tent which had been outside the front door was also taken down.

Career criminal's family 'are ANGRY the pensioner who killed him has been bailed' as his cousin says he was 'a loving person who shouldn't have died'

The cousin of a burglar who died after struggling with a pensioner during a break-in has said she is angry the OAP has been bailed.

Vincent was wanted for another burglary at the time of his death and he had previously served a prison sentence for conning elderly victims out of thousands of pounds.

A unnamed cousin 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.

A cousin of burglar Henry Vincent, who asked not to be identified, told the BBC that the pensioner accused of killing him should not have been bailed

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.

'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.'

Relatives of Vincent declined to comment to MailOnline yesterday afternoon, but many have posted pictures of him on Facebook next to broken heart emojis.

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A woman at his family home told The Sun she was grieving and insisted: 'Things have been twisted.'

The comments of Vincent's cousin stand in contrast to the views of Mr Osborn-Brooks' neighbours and friends, who say the murder investigation into him should be immediately dropped.

Thousands sign petition and give money to support OAP Well over 7,000 people have signed a petition calling to better treatment for those to defend their homes following Richard Osborn-Brooks' arrest. A petition was launched on change.org called for and end to the 'criminalisation of victims of crime' after the incident on Wednesday morning. A total of 7,800 had signed the petition by 11am this morning. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe crowd-funding page set to support Mr Osborn-Brooks has received more than £5,000.

A former Tory defence minister last night called Mr Osborn-Brooks' treatment at the hands of police 'absurd'.

Sir Gerald Howarth said: 'There's clear law on this. If an intruder armed with a weapon suffers fatal injuries, that's his fault. There should be no mercy for people like that.

'It's not only absurd, it's wholly immoral that a householder seeming to protect himself and his family and his property should be the subject of a police investigation - and he should not have been held in custody.

'There is clear case law on this involving a man some years ago in Fulham who had a sword on his wall. Confronted by an intruder, he ran him through with the sword. The householder was acquitted by a jury. The police force is in crisis. It is completely consumed by political correctness.'

Tim Loughton MP, a member of the Home Affairs Committee, said: 'Due process of law needs to take place but every constituent who has contacted me about it said (Mr Osborn-Brooks) should be treated as a hero rather than being in the frame for a crime.

'You are talking about a vulnerable 78 year-old pensioner with a disabled wife in a house interrupted by two burglars. Why on earth is he being investigated for murder?

David Green, of justice think tank Civitas, said Mr Osborn-Brooks should be 'given a medal'.

'Old b******s deserve everything they get': Sickening online rant of relative of burglar killed by OAP

A relative of the burglar who died after a struggle with a pensioner wrote that 'old b******s deserve everything they get' after his cousins were jailed for distraction break-ins.

As Henry Vincent's family's history of targeting pensioners continued to emerged today, it was revealed his cousins were jailed for the theft of a former airman's cherished war medals in 2007.

William Vincent got a four-year sentence and Amos Vincent got three years for distraction thefts in south-east London. Victim Ronald Butler, 82, had his father's First World War medals taken in one of the break-ins.

It emerged last night that Vincent was part a family who have repeatedly targeted pensioners. His cousins William (pictured) and Amos Vincent were jailed in 2007 for stealing war medals during distraction burglaries

It emerged last night that Vincent was part a family who have repeatedly targeted pensioners. His cousins William and Amos Vincent (pictured) were jailed in 2007 for stealing war medals during distraction burglaries

After the crimes were reported on a local neighbourhood watch page, a Bill Vincent posted these vile comments, which were later deleted

A neighbourhood watch group later publicised the thefts on Facebook to warn residents in the area, but was met with a foul-mouthed response from one of the Vincent family.

A Bill Vincent wrote: 'The old b******s deserve everything they get. So stupid handing over thousands upon thousands... An oap a day will keep ur bank balance a bay. Got to love the old c***s.'

He went on: 'Old c***s ain't safe. Take every penny they got get old b*******s to remorgage, take the money and let erm get chucked owt nxt one (sic).' The posts were later deleted.

'Trying to revive him - I think he's gone': Neighbour films failed bid to save 'burglar stabbed by OAP in his kitchen' as he lay bleeding to death in the street following botched break-in

Footage has emerged of the moment a burglar lay dying in the street after struggling with a pensioner during a break-in.

The images obtained by the BBC show Henry Vincent at the centre of a group of emergency service workers as they 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.'

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

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.

Detectives think a struggle took place between one of the burglars and the elderly homeowner before Vincent was stabbed in the upper body, but would not confirm if he was stabbed with the screwdriver.

Moyo Ojo, who lives next-door to Mr Osborn-Brooks said he heard the sound of a fight at around 12.30am.

He said: 'I was awake when it happened at around 12.30am, 12.45am. I heard a struggle, I could heard shouting and loud voices, but I couldn't heard the words. I could hear something smash as well and the banging.'

Mr Ojo added: 'At first I couldn't tell which side it was coming from. I thought it was just an argument between housemates.

'Then in the morning I heard someone knock a bin over, by then the police arrived.

'He was a very quiet person, keeps himself to himself. They are a very nice couple.

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'It would only be a small kitchen, he wouldn't of had the ability to run. His is also old so what could he do? He was in a difficult situation.'