Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour bravely fought back when a prolific thief stole her phone at a Kensington branch of Joe and the Juice, it has been revealed.
The 27-year-old star was buying a coffee when 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares snuck up behind her and grabbed the handset on February 8.
Boulares, who has a long list of previous offences as a teenager, has now been revealed as the thug who threatened TV star Aled Jones with a machete as he stole his £17,000 Rolex watch.
He was then aged 16 and could not legally be identified as he was sentenced to a two-year detention and training order for the attack on the Songs of Praise presenter in west London in July 2023.
After his release from custody, Boulares, of Fawns Manor Close, Feltham, carried out the theft of Ms Chenneour’s mobile phone when he also assaulted another Joe and the Juice customer, Carlo Kurcishi.
In footage of the incident, a hooded Boulares is seen lurking behind Ms Chenneour, who plays Clara Livingston in Netflix’s Bridgerton, before leaning along the counter to pick up her phone.
The actress quickly notices what is happening and turns to confront the thief, and with the help of her friend they stop Boulares from fleeing.
In the ensuing tussle, Ms Chenneour uses her arm to block Boulares from fleeing, and the phone falls to the ground. She then picks it up and uses it to strike the thief as he struggles with her friend.
In a comment left on the story on the Standard’s Instagram page , she revealed: “The guy who walked up to me was the thief and threatened to stab me multiple times.”
Ms Chenneour told MailOnline: “They didn't expect me to stand up for myself – but I did.”
She said she had been left with a concussion and “on edge”, and the incident also traumatised her dog who she was out walking at the time.
“Getting a coffee shouldn't be something you need your wits about you for”, she added.
Boulares is currently being held at Wormwood Scrubs prison, awaiting sentence at Isleworth crown court on June 17. He has admitted theft and common assault, as well as a separate handbag snatch from January 30 this year.
In the attack on Aled Jones, Boulares threatened to chop off the TV star’s arm in a bid to steal his Rolex Daytona.
A court heard he shouted “Give me your f***king Rolex or I will cut your arm off” when Jones was out with his son, in an incident caught on CCTV.
Boulares had previously robbed a 78-year-old man of a gold Rolex worth £20,000 at Paddington station in May 2023.
Phone theft is a cancer eating away at London — here's my plan to cut it out
Best iPhone deals: Discounts on refurbished and new handsets - including 16 & 15 Pro
Cynthia Erivo and The Vivienne among ‘LGBT+ changemakers’ in 2025 Pride List
Vodafone’s Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile is a total game-changer for hybrid workers
