M’sian man chains HDB door shut, sets fire to flat with family inside to earn $2,500
A Malaysian man who accepted $2,500 to harass an alleged debtor locked a family of seven inside their flat and set fire to their front door in the middle of the night.
According to Shin Min Daily News, the 32-year-old man, identified as Velu, was sentenced to 19 months and two weeks’ jail after pleading guilty to a charge of mischief by fire. Another charge of wrongful confinement was taken into consideration during sentencing.
Accused offered money for the job
The victim was a 41-year-old man who lived with his wife, two children aged nine and three, his parents, and sister in the affected unit.
At the time, the man was under police investigation in relation to a scam case.
Velu was reportedly facing financial troubles and working odd jobs when he received a message from an unknown person in late November 2023. The unknown individual asked him to harass a resident in Tampines — including locking the flat door and setting fire to it.
He initially rejected the proposal but changed his mind after allegedly being promised $2,500 and a $400 advance payment.
He entered Singapore from Johor Bahru via Woodlands Checkpoint and later bought a bicycle lock chain to prepare for the job.
Locked door, poured petrol and set fire
At around 4.25am on Dec 8, 2023, Velu allegedly siphoned petrol from a motorcycle into a bottle before heading to Tampines.
The accused changed into a hoodie and long pants, wore a mask and cap, and even held an umbrella in the stairwell to conceal himself.
After confirming the unit number, he allegedly chained the front door shut, poured petrol outside and set it ablaze before photographing the fire and sending it to the unidentified person.
He returned to Malaysia at around 5.10am.
About 17 minutes after the fire was started, the victim’s father woke up to use the toilet and smelled burning. He also heard sounds resembling explosions and discovered the front door on fire, waking the rest of the family.
The victim’s wife checked CCTV footage, realised someone had deliberately set the fire and called the police.
Accused turned himself in almost 2 years later
The accused surrendered to Malaysian police on Sept 4, 2025 and was handed over to the Singapore Police Force the same day.
He said he committed the offence as his wife had been pregnant and he needed money for medical expenses.
Police investigations found that the victim had previously received threatening messages over debts, though investigators could not identify who sent them. The accused also said he did not know if the person who hired him was a debt collector.
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