--- title: "Homeowner stunned after stranger caught taking photos inside HDB flat twice in a week amid renovations" url: "/trending-now/homeowner-stunned-after-stranger-caught-taking-photos-inside-hdb-flat-twice-week-amid-renovations" published: "2026-10-30T08:35:16.000Z" updated: "2026-10-30T09:30:44.000Z" section: "Trending Now" authors: ["Ethel Tseng"] tags: ["BTO","trespassing","photo","HDB","renovation","TNP News"] --- # Homeowner stunned after stranger caught taking photos inside HDB flat twice in a week amid renovations *A homeowner was surprised to discover a stranger entering their HDB flat, which was undergoing renovations, on two separate occasions within the span of a week, inspecting the unit and appearing to take photos.* A homeowner was surprised to discover a stranger entering their HDB flat, which was undergoing renovations, on two separate occasions within the span of a week, inspecting the unit and appearing to take photos. Speaking to Stomp, Instagram user @navigatethirty said the first incident happened in late July, when air-conditioning contractors were carrying out installation works in the unit. As the workers needed access to piping placed outside the unit, the main door was left open while they worked in the bedrooms. CCTV footage of the incident was posted on the Instagram account on Oct 29. In the post, a man in a yellow polo shirt is seen in the unit, looking around and appearing to take photos. He then walks to another corner of the flat and repeats the same actions. Navigatethirty, who wished to remain anonymous, told Stomp that the man appeared to notice the CCTV camera, and subsequently left the unit. ## Man returns to unit 5 days later Just five days later, the same man purportedly “tailgated” Building Service Centre workers and entered the unit again, according to the user. This time, he was accompanied by a woman. In the Instagram post, navigatethirty said they spoke to the man through the CCTV system and asked why he had returned. The user clarified that the audio recording was muffled by echoes in the empty unit and that they could only make out his remark that he had “only been inside for a few minutes”. Meanwhile, the woman walked towards another room and disappeared from view. ![homeowner stunned after stranger enters bto flat twice in a week](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/5dfa6b41953b9e6cde982c9ad47e58d581c24cc9e57757bce0958b7dd18a9745) Navigatethirty explained that there were no valuables in the unit, which was empty apart from the air-conditioning piping. They added in the post’s caption: “The craziest part? It happened just ONE DAY after we installed our keypad lock and CCTV! Thankfully, nothing was stolen.” Navigatethirty said the pair’s identities remain a mystery, adding that they have not returned since the second incident. ## Homeowner ‘surprised’ and ‘concerned’ by uninvited visitor Reflecting on the incidents, navigatethirty told Stomp that they were “quite surprised” by what happened. After the first incident, they initially chose not to raise the matter as they understood that people might be curious about the unit. However, when the incident happened a second time and involved the same person, they were “considerably more concerned, particularly about the privacy and security” of their home. ![homeowner stunned after stranger enters bto flat twice in a week](https://cassette.sphdigital.com.sg/image/stomp/1e7c34ca553855640c9c9fc640f9ccbfa280d494af1b57c40bfdc988fd71a276) “It made us realise that it would be worthwhile to raise awareness that, regardless of the circumstances or intention, entering another person’s home without permission is not something that should be encouraged,” they said. They suggested that homeowners could be more mindful of security during renovations, while pointing out that curiosity should still be balanced with respect for a resident’s privacy and personal space. “We believe strongly in maintaining the kampong spirit and good relationships between neighbours, and we think mutual respect for boundaries is an important part of that,” they added. The user also stressed that their intention in sharing the incident was “not to blame or shame anyone”, but to raise awareness about unauthorised entry into someone else’s home. Similar incidents have also recently gone viral. In September, a property agent shared a video of strangers walking into homes undergoing renovations, criticising the unwanted visitors. Another incident surfaced on Oct 13, when a Choa Chu Kang resident said a stranger entered her family’s home and used the toilet without permission. Such incidents reminded navigatethirty of their own experience, and shared the video as they felt it would be a “timely opportunity” to remind homeowners about the precautions they should take while renovating their homes. ## Netizens slam ‘entitled’ behaviour The post garnered over 175,000 views, as netizens chimed in with their thoughts on the issue. Several described the strangers’ actions as “entitled” and said they amounted to “trespassing”. “Probably they are just getting ideas on how the renovation is done. Doubt they mean any harm just see see look look, typical uncles, aunties,” another netizen commented. Some suggested that the strangers could have waited until the renovations were completed before knocking on the door and asking the homeowners for permission to view the flat, perhaps even bringing a gift along.