Man, 21, smashes ex-girlfriend's phone after breakup, allegedly gets punched by her male friend, 16, at Jurong West flat

A 21-year-old man in Singapore took his ex-girlfriend's phone and damaged it on Nov. 3, 2024, after she allegedly ended their two-month relationship.

The next day, his ex-girlfriend contacted the man, and they agreed to meet that evening at his grandmother's flat in Jurong West, reported Shin Min Daily News.

However, when the man opened the door, his ex-girlfriend's father, older brother, and a male friend, 16, apparently barged into the flat and asked how he would compensate her for her phone.

When the man said he would pay the amount in instalments, his ex-girlfriend's family allegedly found his answer unsatisfactory and asked him to step outside his flat.

Thereafter, his ex-girlfriend's male friend allegedly punched his face multiple times and only stopped after his grandmother came out of the flat.

The man's family subsequently brought him to a doctor, and he lodged a police report.

Unhappy breakup

Speaking to Shin Min, the man's father, surnamed Cai (transliteration), said his son and the ex-girlfriend started dating after meeting each other on social media in September 2024.

However, just two months into their relationship, the ex-girlfriend told Cai's son that she wanted to break up, recounted Cai.

Upset about her decision, Cai's son visited the ex-girlfriend's home to demand an answer on Nov. 3 evening.

According to Cai, a conflict subsequently ensued between his son and the ex-girlfriend, so his son took her phone and left.

"My son was indeed very impulsive. Later on, the ex-girlfriend called him to negotiate, but he smashed her phone in the heat of the moment," added Cai.

According to a photo showing an online conversation between Cai's son and the ex-girlfriend, she could be seen asking Cai's son "to grow up" and "shut [his] tiny w*ener".

However, the Shin Min report did not provide further context for the conversation.

Cai's son alerted police when ex-girlfriend visited with male friend

According to Cai, during the late hours of Nov. 3, the ex-girlfriend brought her younger sister and a male friend to his son's residence, reported Shin Min.

At the time, Cai's son was living with his grandmother in her public housing flat in Jurong West.

"When my son saw them through the peephole, he did not open the door and alerted the police. Thereafter, the other party left," added Cai.

The next day, the ex-girlfriend called Cai's son, allegedly informing him that she and her sister were willing to speak to him.

Both parties also agreed to meet at Cai's son's residence on Nov. 4 evening.

Ex-girlfriend's family & friend allegedly confronted Cai's son

When Cai's son saw the ex-girlfriend and her sister through the peephole at around 7pm on Nov. 4, he decided to open the door this time around, Shin Min reported Cai as saying.

"However, for safety reasons, he placed a knife inside his pocket," said Cai.

Just as Cai's son opened the door, the ex-girlfriend's father, brother, and male friend entered the flat, and her brother apparently demanded Cai's son to make restitution for her phone.

In response, Cai's son, who was a student, said he could pay the amount in instalments.

Unhappy with the answer, the ex-girlfriend's brother allegedly asked Cai's son to step outside the flat and told him to remove the knife from his pocket.

Dispute escalated

However, just as Cai's son laid the knife on the floor, the ex-girlfriend's friend allegedly came up to him and punched him in the face several times, Shin Min reported Cai as saying.

It was only when Cai's mother-in-law, 80, came out of her flat that the ex-girlfriend's brother apparently told the friend to stop.

"Her father subsequently left with her friend, and my son alerted the police," shared Cai.

When police officers arrived, they called the ex-girlfriend's father and friend to return to the scene to record their statements.

"My son's left eye was swollen, and his vision was affected. We took him to a doctor, and it cost us S$169," lamented Cai.

Cai compensated for ex-girlfriend's phone

Cai told Shin Min that he was informed that the ex-girlfriend had alerted the police, too, after his son damaged her phone.

"The other party asked for S$1,399 for the phone, and I transferred it to them," he shared.

However, as of Jan. 3, 2025, Cai claimed that there have been no further updates regarding his son's alleged assault case.

Alleged assailant assisting police investigations

In response to Mothership's queries, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) confirmed they received a call for assistance at around 7:50pm on Nov. 4, 2024.

Cai's son sustained minor injuries but did not require conveyance to the hospital.

A male teenager is assisting with investigations for voluntarily causing hurt.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Top image via Canva & Google Maps