An intruder killed during a raid on a pensioner's home was a career criminal who worked in a family gang and had spent time in jail.

Henry Vincent, 37, from Kent, was stabbed during a break-in at the home of pensioner, Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, in Hither Green on Wednesday.

He was wanted over a separate burglary involving another elderly victim, it has emerged.

His family's gang operated in Kent and south London and was jailed for a total of almost 29 years in 2003 after conning pensioners out of £448,180.

They would knock on doors and suggest homeowners had structural problems, promising to fix them for huge fees.

The men would even escort their victims to the bank so they could withdraw the cash to pay for the work.

Two of the family members made a woman in her 80s sign away her £150,000 property, according to reports. They all admitted deception charges at Croydon Crown Court.

Undeterred, Vincent was jailed again in 2009 after being convicted of defrauding an 80-year-old out of £72,000 for alleged roof repairs.

His father, with whom he committed the crime, went on the run but was caught and jailed in 2011.

In January, Vincent was named and pictured by Kent Police investigating a distraction burglary when jewellery and valuables were stolen from a man in his 70s.