Kuala Muda district police chief Zaidy Che Hassan said the 54-year-old suspect was armed with a parang in the 10.20am incident.

He said the suspect had gone to the morning market to look for his wife but failed to find her. He then went to an eatery that he and his wife operated but she was missing, Utusan Malaysia reported.

He said the man went amok and set fire to a hut behind their shop.

“The suspect also broke the window of a multipurpose vehicle parked nearby,” he said.

He fled and hid behind bushes behind the hut, where the police arrested him.

Zaidy said the suspect did not resist arrest and told police his actions were due to stress from problems at home.

He said police seized the parang.

Preliminary checks found that the suspect has a record for eight offences, including four for drugs.

The case is being probed under Sections 435, 427 and 506 of the Penal Code for mischief and criminal intimidation.