Malaysia police: viral Melaka home break-in scare was false alarm caused by nearby car vibrations

Police have confirmed that a suspected house break-in at Taman Desa Bertam in Melaka, which went viral on social media, did not involve any criminal activity, but was instead caused by a falling glass triggered by vibrations from a nearby vehicle.

Melaka Tengah District Police Chief Assistant Commissioner Christopher Patit said investigations at the scene found no evidence of a break-in at the double-storey semi-detached house.

“An on-site inspection found the house had CCTV installed outside, but there was no evidence of an invasion,” he told media.

He added that there were no signs of forced entry on doors or windows, and the interior of the house was not in disarray.

“Police inspections however did not find any marks on doors or windows, while the condition inside the house also showed no signs of burglary,” he said.

According to police, the incident occurred between 12:30 AM and 12:40 AM when the family returned home after being out earlier in the evening.

The family had placed a glass on the kitchen door handle as a precautionary "security marker" before leaving the house at about 9:00 PM.

“It is understood that the family placed a glass cup on the doorknob as a 'safety marker'... if the glass fell, it would be a sign that someone had entered their home,” Christopher said.

Upon returning, a family member who entered the house first heard the sound of breaking glass coming from the kitchen. This triggered panic among the occupants, who ran outside to seek help from neighbors.

Further investigation revealed that the glass had fallen due to vibrations believed to have been caused by the loud engine of a neighbor’s vehicle.

“However, at that moment, a neighbor was revving a loud car engine, which is believed to have caused vibrations in the residential area, resulting in the glass falling,” Christopher said in a statement cited by Harian Metro.

The situation escalated after the family reviewed CCTV footage, which they initially believed showed suspicious individuals around the house.

However, police clarified that the individuals seen in the footage were actually neighbors.

“CCTV recordings that were initially suspected of showing suspicious movement actually only involved neighbors around the house,” Christopher said.

A 25-second CCTV clip of the incident circulated widely on social media, showing family members in a state of panic running out of the house.

In a post shared online, a user claiming to be related to the family described how the incident unfolded, saying a family member "immediately panicked" after hearing the glass break and fled the house believing intruders were present.

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The post also referenced concerns about frequent burglary cases in the area, contributing to heightened fear among residents.

Nearby residents also shared concerns about recent housebreaking cases in the area in response to the viral clip, saying such incidents had been occurring frequently and causing unease among those living nearby.

“Recently, there have been cases almost every week. We are really worried as the neighbouring residential areas are also affected. Honestly, it would be better to encounter a ghost than a human. May we always be under God’s protection,” one user wrote.

Police confirmed that no losses were reported and no suspects were identified. The case has been classified as “no further action” (NFA).

“No losses were reported, and the case has been classified as no further action (NFA),” Christopher said.

He also advised the public not to speculate on incidents that could cause unnecessary alarm.