Bridgerton star Genevieve Chenneour, 27, fought back when a prolific thief stole her phone at a Joe and the Juice branch in Kensington on February 8. The actress, who plays Clara Livingston in the Netflix series, was buying a coffee when 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares snatched her handset.
CCTV footage shows Boulares lurking behind Chenneour before grabbing the phone. She quickly turned and, with a friend's help, prevented him from fleeing. During the struggle, the phone fell to the ground; Chenneour picked it up and struck the thief with it.
Boulares has a history of violent thefts. In July 2023, he threatened TV presenter Aled Jones with a machete to steal his £17,000 Rolex watch. At the time, he was 16 and received a two-year detention and training order. He also robbed a 78-year-old man of a gold Rolex worth £20,000 at Paddington station in May 2023.
After his release, Boulares carried out the theft from Chenneour and also assaulted another customer, Carlo Kurcishi. Chenneour told MailOnline: 'They didn't expect me to stand up for myself – but I did.' She said she suffered a concussion and felt 'on edge', and the incident traumatised her dog.
Boulares is currently held at Wormwood Scrubs prison, awaiting sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court on June 17. He has admitted theft and common assault, as well as a separate handbag snatch from January 30.
