Former Clyde North tenants feared for lives as evicted housemate Tsai-Wei Hung unleashed revenge
Former flatmates of Tsai-Wei Hung say they endured months of torment after she was booted from their Clyde North rental, as new video shows the moment she torched their cars and lobbed Molotov cocktails at her landlord’s front door.
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Housemate from hell Tsai-Wei Hung’s former flatmates say they feared for their lives after she tried to mow them down, torched their cars and firebombed their Melbourne share house.
It comes as Hung’s landlord, whose Berwick home was also targeted in an arson attack, accused Victoria Police of failing to take seriously the threat the Taiwanese backpacker posed as she waged a months-long campaign of revenge.
Taiwanese couple Vicky Yang, 29, and Tim Yuan, 30, and Hongkonger Leon Wong, 25, lived with Hung, 32, for about three months until she was kicked out of their Clyde North rental in March last year due to ongoing behavioural issues.
Speaking exclusively with the Herald Sun, the trio revealed the extraordinary steps taken by the former housemate in her desire for vengeance, including trying to run them down, pouring petrol over their cars and setting them ablaze, and lobbing Molotov cocktails at their front door.
In a story that has gone viral in Taiwan, Hung also threw scalding water on her landlord, doxxed her housemates on social media and falsely accused them of abuse.
Hung’s landlord, who did not want his name published, was forced to hire security guards to protect his properties after she caused $200,000 in damage.
She also attempted to extort him of $30,000 for the violence to stop.
“Hung is ten times more dangerous and insane than the girl from the Netflix series Baby Reindeer,” he said.
Hung, who was on a working holiday visa and employed as an egg packer, moved into the share house in December 2023.
Ms Yang and Mr Yuan joined her weeks later and said she immediately began causing problems, flying into rages over trivial issues, such as household chores or noise.
One night after an argument, she yelled and banged on their doors in the middle of the night and later keyed “f--king pussy” in Mandarin on Mr Wong’s car.
As their relationship deteriorated, Hung began regularly calling her landlord, demanding he kick the others out.
She later demanded $6000 from her landlord and housemates if they wanted her to leave.
By March 10, the landlord decided it was time to evict her.
“That’s when the nightmare began,” he said.
He went to the property and returned Hung’s deposit but she refused to leave, instead pelting eggs at him and grabbing Ms Yang by the hair.
Hung was restrained, eventually calming down and agreed to leave.
She was released so she could pack her belongings.
When she failed to leave her room, her housemates went to investigate before Hung ran out and threw scalding water on her landlord before giving chase to Ms Yang.
Mr Wong restrained her and held her on the ground for 40 minutes until police arrived, with paramedics also called to treat the landlord for minor burns.
Police packed Hung’s belongings into her car and ordered her to leave.
But after officers left, she returned and egged the rear garage.
When her landlord and a housemate confronted her, Hung tried to run them down.
Mobile phone footage shows her speeding towards them along a driveway before smashing through bollards and continuing to chase them across a lawn.
They sought refuge inside as Hung repeatedly rammed the garage door with her car, destroying the door and writing off two vehicles inside.
Police were called again but Hung fled.
About 2.45am the next morning, Hung returned, gaining entry through the damaged garage door to smash the windscreens of the cars.
She also went to her landlord’s home and broke the windscreen of his wife’s car.
Hung went to Pakenham Police Station later that day, alleging she had been abused by her housemates.
She was charged and bailed, with police later obtaining personal safety intervention orders banning her from going near or communicating with her housemates or landlord.
Days later, Hung began posting false allegations of abuse about Ms Yang and Mr Yuan on Facebook and WeChat, along with their personal information, including contact details and addresses, opening them up to a torrent of online hate.
On May 1, she failed to appear at court and an arrest warrant was issued.
The housemates and landlord lived in terror, fearing Hung would return.
They told the Herald Sun their pleas for help to police, including issuing a public appeal for information about Hung’s whereabouts, fell on deaf ears.
“We were helpless, it felt like police would not do anything to ensure our safety,” Mr Wong said.
The landlord added: “It felt like they did not do their job at all”.
About 3am on June 10, Hung returned to her former share house and torched Mr Yuan’s and Mr Wong’s cars and threw Molotov cocktails at the front door.
“She’s back, she’s back,” her housemates yelled after they were woken by explosions.
They had purchased fire extinguishers in preparation for Hung’s return, enabling them to quickly put out the blaze.
The following day, Hung sent messages demanding $30,000 from her landlord for the violence to stop.
The landlord said he went to Narre Warren police station but claims he was told little could be done.
About 4.45am the next morning, Hung firebombed his home while his young children were sleeping inside.
Security footage captured the attack, showing a dark hooded figure pouring accelerant on the front door before using matches to set it ablaze.
“Just go die” and “go to hell” she yelled before fleeing.
The fire was put out before it could spread as the landlord stayed awake throughout the night in case Hung attacked.
He was forced to hire security guards to protect his property until she was arrested on June 14 after police made a public appeal.
The landlord said police failed to take Hung seriously as a threat until the arson attacks, with the lead detective on the case only meeting him face to face on June 12.
He and his tenants now suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and struggle to sleep.
“We all have a big trauma after all of this,” Mr Wong said.
The backpacker’s vengeful crime spree has made headlines in her native Taiwan, with YouTube videos about the case racking up millions of views.
She also has pending criminal and civil cases in Taiwan, the latter related to unpaid debts.
Hung last month pleaded guilty to charges including arson, property damage and reckless conduct endangering serious injury.
She remains behind bars until her sentencing later this year.
Victoria Police declined to comment.
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Originally published as Former Clyde North tenants feared for lives as evicted housemate Tsai-Wei Hung unleashed revenge