A Taiwanese backpacker unleashed a terrifying three-month campaign of petrol bomb attacks and extortion against her former housemates and landlord in Melbourne after being evicted from a share house.
A Share House Dispute Ignites a Reign of Terror
The nightmare began on 10 March last year when landlord Lin Zhang arrived at the property on Viewbright Road in Clyde North, Melbourne, to evict Tsai-Wei Hung. The 33-year-old egg packer, who was in Australia on a working holiday visa, had reportedly caused months of arguments and bizarre behaviour since moving in during December 2023.
Her response to the eviction was immediate and violent. Hung began by pelting the garage door with eggs before driving her car at Mr Zhang. She then repeatedly rammed the garage door, destroying it and three cars stored inside. She returned the next day to cause further damage.
Appearing via video link from the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, Hung pleaded guilty on Monday to a swathe of charges including four counts of arson, reckless conduct endangering life, burglary, theft, dangerous driving and extortion.
Escalation to Petrol Bombs and a £30,000 Demand
After being interviewed by police and released on bail, Hung failed to appear in court on 1 May. Her campaign then escalated horrifically. In June, she returned to her former landlord's home and threw plastic bottles of petrol at the front door, setting it alight while three people slept inside. Terrified occupants were heard screaming, 'She's back, she's back'.
CCTV footage captured Hung pouring fuel on two cars at the rear of the property and setting them ablaze with matches. The next day, she sent a chilling message to one of Mr Zhang's associates, demanding $30,000 to stop the attacks.
'You tell Lin give me $30,000 before 8pm tonight, and everything that happened between us will be gone,' she wrote. 'If I do not get the money today, I cannot ensure I wouldn’t do something again.'
Families Forced to Flee as Trauma Takes Hold
The terrified family fled to a home in Berwick, but Hung tracked them down. She again doused the front door in petrol, with CCTV showing her tossing matches until it ignited. Six people were inside, including an elderly woman and two young children. Hung shouted 'Go to hell' in Mandarin before fleeing.
The profound impact on the victims was laid bare in court. Nine victims, including two children, provided statements. The children now live in fear of being burned alive, are afraid to sleep or brush their teeth alone, and fear separation from adults. One child said, 'I’m scared during the day and I keep worrying that I’ll be burnt to death.'
Adults took turns guarding their homes with sticks for months, sleeping with one eye open. Mr Zhang told the Herald Sun that 'Hung is ten times more dangerous and insane than the girl from the Netflix series Baby Reindeer.'
The court heard Hung's crimes made news in Taiwan, where her family learned of her actions. Her spree went viral online, with YouTube videos amassing millions of views. She also faces pending criminal and civil cases in Taiwan related to unpaid debts.
On the same day as the Berwick attack, Hung stole a car from a rental company and fraudulently obtained $8,900 from an unsuspecting buyer. She was arrested that night and has remained in custody since. Tsai-Wei Hung is now awaiting sentencing at the County Court of Victoria.
