A video posted by SG Road Vigilante on April 11 has sparked a heated debate online after showing a man appearing to tamper with the door of a Singapore-registered car at Pandan Market in Johor Bahru (JB). The video, which quickly went viral, showed the man apparently using a tool, though the specific object was unclear—some netizens speculated that he might have been using a ruler to unlock the car door.
The caption accompanying the video urged viewers to “beware JB Pandan Market,” which led many to jump to conclusions that the man was attempting to steal the car. Comments flooded in, with some users suggesting that the vehicle might have contained expensive items tempting the alleged thief.
However, just as quickly, others came forward to defend the man’s actions. A Facebook user, Hamidah Mohd, explained that her husband had accidentally locked his car keys inside his vehicle, which had an auto-lock feature. The man seen in the video was working at a nearby car wash and had offered to help unlock the vehicle, Hamidah clarified.
“Please don’t misunderstand his good intentions. There’s no car-breaking incident happening,” she said, urging people not to jump to conclusions.
This incident highlights the challenges of interpreting actions in a video without context. It also comes at a time when fears of crime are high, especially after social media claims in 2021 about snatch thieves targeting Singaporeans crossing the border into Johor Bahru. The Johor police had responded to those rumors, stating that crime had actually decreased in the area and urging the public to verify viral claims.
While this particular incident seems to have been a case of a good Samaritan misunderstood, it serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying information before reacting, especially in a climate of heightened concern over safety.