FAMILIES living next to the house where an OAP homeowner stabbed a burglar to death earlier this year have slammed police for not charging the dead raider's accomplice.

Traveller Henry Vincent was killed by Richard Osborn-Brooks, 78, during an early hours break-in at the pensioner's home in Hither Green, South East London, in April.

The career criminal's death sparked angry scenes as tributes were left on the street by Vincent's family and members of the traveller community, with a number of memorials torn down by locals.

Mr Osborn-Brooks was arrested but later told he would face no further action and was forced to move from the area for fear of reprisals.

His house remains boarded up eight months on from the incident and the front garden has been left overgrown and covered in litter.

Vincent's suspected accomplice Billy Jeeves was not charged by Scotland Yard due to "insufficient evidence to support a charge of burglary".

Residents on the street remain angry at their "warm and friendly" former neighbour's plight and the derelict reminder of the traumatic events.

Taxi driver Sharif Ghadari, 47, said: "It’s sad to see the house like it is just boarded-up. It’s wrong that Richard Osborn-Brooks and his wife cannot return. It’s their house. They did nothing wrong.

"It was a major incident and everybody has read about it because it’s a big story so that is bound to impact on the people who live in the street. Insurance premiums are higher – I have noticed that already.

“House prices are also bound to come down. Everybody will know what happened at the house... it was deeply shocking."

Another resident, 22, who has lived there for four years, said she thinks burglars have been afraid to target the area since the incident.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said: “There was a few reports of crime like burglary and theft since he died and then it stopped.

“I think when he died it would have put burglars off. They wouldn’t want the same thing happening to them.

Mr Osborn-Brooks and his wife have vanished since it happened and have gone into hiding. They’ve not been seen since.

“It’s a real shame they are unable to return. He was protecting his property and was trying to save his wife and protect himself.

“If he ever returned he would be welcomed back home. He should be able to come back.”

Another resident added: “I think the whole Hither Green area has been affected. The family will definitely not return.

"There should have been a punishment. What happened to that couple could have happened to anyone.

"It could have been us. I think they would have been watched. They would have known they were elderly."

Scotland Yard insisted it had carried out an "extensive investigation" including a forensic examination of the scene before deciding there was insufficient evidence to charge Mr Jeeves.