Provoked, Took Rifle and Left Camp

Crstal Liew speaks about ex-boyfriend, Dave Teo Ming

Crstal Liew speaks about ex-boyfriend, Dave Teo Ming.

IF there was someone Corporal Teo cared for, it was Ms Crystal Liew, 18.

Netizens quickly identified her as his former girlfriend who is completing her O levels this year.

They published the online addresses of her previous and current blogs.

The couple's relationship seemed to offer much promise in the beginning.

They had been together for more than three years and in her earliest entry in July 2004, she called Cpl Teo her 'husband'.

Last year, she referred to him adoringly as 'hubs'.

She also wrote how she missed him when he went abroad for training with the Singapore Armed Forces.

She wrote: 'It's sad, really so sad.

'Ever since we got together, we haven't left each other for so many days before.'

But in an entry on 12 Apr this year, she wrote about their break-up: 'I know, I'm the one who broke up... But seriously, I can't take in (sic) anymore.

'I've reached my limits, I'd rather both of us get hurt now, than dragging this pain any further.

'Being with you all these years, I really loved you, but then again.'

She also gives an insight into his character from her entries in 2005.

She once lamented that no matter how hard she tried to get him to communicate more, he would often keep things to himself.

She wrote: 'No point forcing that, as it'll lead to quarrels.

'I don't dare to ask for so much now, just wish time could stop here and we'll stay together like this forever.'

She even declared in one entry: 'I love Dave Teo Ming.'

She was so devoted to him she attended his passing-out parade at Mandai Hill Camp in August 2005.

The place where it would all go wrong for him two years later.

But where his pictures appeared in her blog site earlier, they were non-existent later.

Instead, there are pictures of her with other girls on shopping trips.

There were several pictures of Ms Liew with another girl.

Affectionately calling the girl 'baby', Ms Liew coos in one entry: 'The whole Saturday was spent with baby again.

'I love her, love love love love her so much...'

Why Did You Leave Me For Her?

Corporal Dave Teo couldn't bear the break up with her ex-girlfriend who left him for another girl.
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Straits Times Sep 5, 2007
Army corporal Dave Teo charged in court
By Elena Chong and Jermyn Chow


Teo is said to have unlawfully carried the SAR 21 assault rifle (pictured) at a toilet on the third floor of Cathy Cineleisure Orchard on Sunday. -- PHOTO: MINDEF

View more photos

A full-time national serviceman, Dave Teo Ming, 20, was charged in court on Wednesday with carrying a firearm.
Another man, Ong Boon Jun, 21, was also charged. Ong, unemployed was accused of consorting with Teo at a hotel in Geylang.

No plea was taken from Teo, who was remanded together with Ong.

Teo, a corporal, is said to have unlawfully carried the SAR 21 assault rifle at a toilet on the third floor of Cathy Cineleisure Orchard at about 8pm on Sunday.

He went missing on Sunday night, sparking off a 20-hour manhunt which culminated in his arrest the following evening.

Ong is alleged to have associated with Teo at Champagne Hotel in Lorong 16 between 3.45am and 7.30am on Monday in circumstances which raised a reasonable presumption that he knew that Teo was carrying the firearm.


Failed relationship may have led soldier to go AWOL with rifle

Army Corporal Dave Teo Ming, 20, was last seen at the Mandai Hill Camp on Sunday in his camouflage army fatigues.

Twenty hours later, he was arrested in a third-floor toilet in the Orchard Cineleisure mall, dressed in a black suit and tie.

With him were the missing assault rifle and live ammunition taken from the camp where he had been on guard duty.


The lean-built full-time national serviceman, one month from completing his NS stint, triggered an islandwide manhunt after he went absent without official leave (AWOL) with the loaded SAR-21 rifle.

No further information was released yesterday by the police or Defence Ministry, but details of his life have emerged that suggest his actions could be linked to a failed relationship.

His former girlfriend, Miss Crystal Liew, 18, got a phone call from the police at about 7am on Monday, while she was at a Pasir Ris chalet with her friends. They wanted to know whether she knew where he was.

'I was clueless as I had not seen nor spoken to him for about two weeks,' said Miss Liew, who had broken off with him five months ago.

She was told to stay put and a car was sent over to get her.

According to Miss Liew, she was introduced to Cpl Teo by friends in 2003, some time after he had dropped out of Secondary 3.

They dated for more than three years, spending time in his home, playing computer games, eating meals cooked by his grandmother and shopping.

Miss Liew said: 'He was very sweet and generous as he would buy me clothes, souvenirs and a watch even when he wasn't earning much with his army pay.'

But he was also very possessive, she said. After he enlisted in 2005, she alleged that he would call her up to five times and send about 10 messages every day, so he could keep tabs on her whereabouts.

And he disapproved of her going out with her own friends.

She said: 'I was like a prisoner when he stopped me from meeting other people and scolded me for smiling at people I speak to, accusing me of flirting.'

Miss Liew broke up with Cpl Teo in March and has been seeing someone else since.

Tempers boiled over and he kicked up a ruckus at her house on five occasions, and stalked her for at least a week when she went out, she claimed.

She added that things got worse and he had threatened to kill her and her family.

Her father told The Straits Times he had called the police for help, but did not lodge a police report.

Cpl Teo kept away after that and last month, Miss Liew saw him for the last time, at his birthday party.

Among the last few people to talk to Cpl Teo was his friend of 16 years, administrative executive Bocky Tan, who described him as being 'emotional yet happy-go-lucky'.

Cpl Teo called him at about 10pm, just before he went AWOL, and asked if he could stay over that night as he had quarrelled with his family.

Mr Tan turned him down. 'Normally, he would talk to me first and get my advice, but this time he never said a word.'

The next he heard of him was his arrest.

It is believed that Cpl Teo lives with his grandparents, a cousin and an uncle.

His relatives declined to be interviewed yesterday when approached at the family's three-room flat in New Upper Changi Road, except to say they last saw him on Friday.

jermync@sph.com.sg

dboey@sph.com.sg

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'I was like a prisoner when he stopped me from meeting other people and scolded me for smiling at people I speak to, accusing me of flirting.'

MISS CRYSTAL LIEW, 18, on what led to her break-up with Corporal Dave Teo Ming

Failed relationship may have led soldier to go AWOL with rifle
By Jermyn Chow & David Boey


'I was like a prisoner when he stopped me from meeting other people and scolded me for smiling at people I speak to, accusing me of flirting.'
MISS CRYSTAL LIEW, 18, on what led to her break-up with Corporal Dave Teo Ming (above)

ARMY Corporal Dave Teo Ming, 20, was last seen at the Mandai Hill Camp on Sunday in his camouflage army fatigues.
Twenty hours later, he was arrested in a third-floor toilet in the Orchard Cineleisure mall, dressed in a black suit and tie.

With him were the missing assault rifle and live ammunition taken from the camp where he had been on guard duty.

The lean-built full-time national serviceman, one month from completing his NS stint, triggered an islandwide manhunt after he went absent without official leave (AWOL) with the loaded SAR-21 rifle.

No further information was released yesterday by the police or Defence Ministry, but details of his life have emerged that suggest his actions could be linked to a failed relationship.

His former girlfriend, Miss Crystal Liew, 18, got a phone call from the police at about 7am on Monday, while she was at a Pasir Ris chalet with her friends. They wanted to know whether she knew where he was.

VIDEO

Armed & AWOL: Nabbed NS man's story unfolds
(2:30)
'I was clueless as I had not seen nor spoken to him for about two weeks,' said Miss Liew, who had broken off with him five months ago.

She was told to stay put and a car was sent over to get her.

According to Miss Liew, she was introduced to Cpl Teo by friends in 2003, some time after he had dropped out of Secondary 3.

They dated for more than three years, spending time in his home, playing computer games, eating meals cooked by his grandmother and shopping.

Miss Liew said: 'He was very sweet and generous as he would buy me clothes, souvenirs and a watch even when he wasn't earning much with his army pay.'

But he was also very possessive, she said. After he enlisted in 2005, she alleged that he would call her up to five times and send about 10 messages every day, so he could keep tabs on her whereabouts.

And he disapproved of her going out with her own friends.

She said: 'I was like a prisoner when he stopped me from meeting other people and scolded me for smiling at people I speak to, accusing me of flirting.'

Miss Liew broke up with Cpl Teo in March and has been seeing someone else since.

Tempers boiled over and he kicked up a ruckus at her house on five occasions, and stalked her for at least a week when she went out, she claimed.

She added that things got worse and he had threatened to kill her and her family.

Her father told The Straits Times he had called the police for help, but did not lodge a police report.

Cpl Teo kept away after that and last month, Miss Liew saw him for the last time, at his birthday party.

Among the last few people to talk to Cpl Teo was his friend of 16 years, administrative executive Bocky Tan, who described him as being 'emotional yet happy-go-lucky'.

Cpl Teo called him at about 10pm, just before he went AWOL, and asked if he could stay over that night as he had quarrelled with his family.

Mr Tan turned him down. 'Normally, he would talk to me first and get my advice, but this time he never said a word.'

The next he heard of him was his arrest.

It is believed that Cpl Teo lives with his grandparents, a cousin and an uncle.

His relatives declined to be interviewed yesterday when approached at the family's three-room flat in New Upper Changi Road, except to say they last saw him on Friday.