‘I burn and let you see’: Man torches flat after grandma refuses entry, jailed seven months in Singapore

SINGAPORE, July 4 — A man who became enraged after his grandmother refused to let him into their home in Singapore set fire to a piece of cardboard and wedged it in the entrance of their flat, endangering her safety. Today, he was sentenced to seven months’ jail for mischief by fire.

Channel News Asia reported that Lenard Tan Yong Jia, 27, had returned to the flat he shared with his stepfather and grandmother on April 18, only to find the metal gate locked despite the wooden door being open.

After knocking and calling his grandmother six times without a response, Tan became furious. Unknown to him, his 67-year-old grandmother had deliberately ignored his calls as she was afraid of him, suspecting he was a drug addict. The two had previously had an undisclosed dispute.

According to the facts of the case, Tan lit a piece of cardboard using a lighter and placed it between the metal gate and wooden door, next to a cardboard box that was already wedged in the doorway. He filmed the fire and sent a video to his uncle, along with a voice message in Mandarin saying: “You want to play with me, I burn and let you see.”

He then left the scene with the fire still burning.

Neighbours alerted the victim shortly after, and she managed to put out the flames by pouring water on them. Tan’s aunt later called the police, saying her nephew had “gone crazy” and set her mother’s home on fire.

The fire damaged the door, floor tiles, skirting and paint near the entrance. Repairs were estimated to cost about S$7,000 (RM23,200), although the work has yet to be carried out.

Tan was later found in possession of two penknives and the lighter used to start the fire. He was arrested and remanded.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Jotham Tay told the court that Tan had known his grandmother was home when he started the fire.

“He moreover did so with the door open and the cardboard box wedged in the door, allowing for the fire and smoke to spread into the unit. This would have endangered the victim’s health or even life,” said Tay, who sought a jail term of five to six months.

Tan pleaded guilty to one count of mischief by fire. A second charge was taken into consideration. He could have been jailed for up to seven years and fined.