kaypoh<\/em><\/a> about what their neighbours are doing with their new BTO flats?<\/p>\nBut there’s a difference between being curious and inviting yourself into someone else’s home.<\/p>\n
According to the couple, the man first entered their unit while air-conditioning contractors were working inside.<\/p>\n
Five days later, he returned with a woman.<\/p>\n
This time, the pair reportedly followed Building Service Centre (BSC) workers into the flat.<\/p>\n
Thanks to their newly installed CCTV, the homeowners could see what was happening and confront the visitors through the camera’s speaker.<\/p>\n
“Who are you ah? Why you enter my house?” one of them asked.<\/p>\n
The man apparently tried to explain that he hadn’t been inside for very long.<\/p>\n
However, the couple clarified that the audio was muffled by the echo in their empty apartment, making most of his response difficult to understand.<\/p>\n
“The only portion we could clearly make out was him saying that he had only been inside for a few minutes,” they explained.<\/p>\n
Erm, whether it’s two minutes or 20, you still need permission to enter someone’s home, right?<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the couple said nothing was stolen.<\/p>\n
And talk about good timing. They had installed their keypad lock and CCTV just one day before one of the incidents.<\/p>\n
Still, catching the same man entering their home a second time left them understandably uneasy.<\/p>\n
“When the same individual came the second time, we became considerably more concerned, particularly about the privacy and security of our home,” they told us.<\/p>\n
However, the couple stressed that they weren’t sharing their experience to shame anyone.<\/p>\n
They also didn’t want the workers or contractors involved to be blamed.<\/p>\n
“We have no intention of identifying, shaming, or placing blame on the individuals involved, especially the workers\/contractors,” they said.<\/p>\n
They acknowledged that the visitors might simply have been curious, without realising how uncomfortable their actions could make the homeowners feel.<\/p>\n
“We value the kampong<\/em> spirit and friendliness among neighbours, while also believing that this should come with mutual respect for one another’s privacy and personal space,” they explained.<\/p>\nSo why share the footage now, months after the incidents?<\/p>\n
The couple said they recently came across news of an alleged theft following unauthorised entry into another home, which reminded them of their own experience.<\/p>\n
They hoped their story would encourage other homeowners to be more mindful of security, especially during renovations when doors may be left open for contractors.<\/p>\n
And they’re certainly not the only ones who’ve had unexpected visitors.<\/p>\n
In another incident, three people were caught on CCTV entering an HDB flat under renovation while contractors were working inside.<\/p>\n
One man was seen repeatedly opening a cabinet near the entrance, prompting the homeowner to reportedly ask the group to leave through the CCTV speaker.<\/p>\n
Then there was Class 95 producer Lee Yoo Jin, who had a similar encounter at her new flat in September<\/a>.<\/p>\nShe was filming content alone when a man reportedly tried opening her front door.<\/p>\n
Turns out, he was a guest at her neighbour’s housewarming party who said he was curious about the renovations in nearby units.<\/p>\n
Look, we get the excitement of moving into a new BTO estate and wanting to see how everyone else is renovating their homes.<\/p>\n
But your neighbour’s new flat isn’t an HDB show flat.<\/p>\n
And if you’re really that curious, perhaps ask for permission before going in?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n