A prominent American TikTok personality has described the terrifying moment he was punched in the face and robbed of jewellery worth £3,000 during his first few hours in London.
The Soho Street Attack
Eric Ou, who boasts approximately 335,000 Instagram followers and 288,000 on TikTok, documented his ordeal in social media videos after the alleged assault occurred in Soho on Thursday evening. The Chief Creative Officer of AI company Turbo AI could be seen holding ice to his injured face while recounting the incident to his followers.
"Been in London for five hours and I just got my chain snatched and I got decked in the f***ing face," the shocked influencer announced. "London is this normal? Is this the London experience I've been told about?"
Mr Ou described being approached by a man wearing what he called a 'fake Gucci hat' who asked for directions to Oxford Street. Shortly after this encounter, the situation turned violent.
Knife Threat and Violent Robbery
In a subsequent video, the social media star provided more disturbing details, explaining that the man produced a knife before punching him and stealing his valuable 'chain'. The attack happened shortly after Mr Ou had arrived in the capital, eaten at Nando's, and begun exploring central London with two companions.
"I literally got off the Metro, had Nando's, and now we're in Soho and I just f***ing got my s*** snatched," he told his audience. The American issued a warning to others: "Anyone sees a guy in a fake Gucci hat asking for directions to Oxford [Street], do not give him directions to Oxford."
Despite the traumatic experience, Mr Ou maintained his sense of humour, posting a photograph of himself drinking tea with the caption: 'They took my chains but not my swag'. He also shared that he intended to replace the stolen jewellery with a $4,000 replacement.
Growing Safety Concerns in the Capital
This incident adds to mounting anxiety about crime levels in central London. Recent statistics reveal that in one policing area covering Oxford Street and Shaftesbury Avenue, 508 muggings were reported to police in the year to June 2025. Another 499 individual robberies were recorded in the vicinity encompassing Regent Street, New Bond Street and sections of Oxford Street during the same period.
The attack on Mr Ou follows another high-profile case involving Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour, who recently revealed she was assaulted for the second time in less than a year in the capital. The former Team GB swimmer described being struck by a man who 'locked onto' her as she walked to an audition last week.
Ms Chenneour, who played Clara Livingston in the Netflix period drama, shared that she has been 'groped more times than I can count' in London. Her previous ordeal in February involved an attempted mugging in Kensington that left her with a concussion.
Phone theft has become particularly rampant, with 117,211 devices reported stolen in London during 2024 alone - though authorities believe the actual figure is significantly higher. Robberies targeting expensive items like luxury watches also remain a persistent concern for both residents and visitors to the city.
Despite his frightening introduction to London, Mr Ou continued to tour the city, sharing photographs of himself visiting a traditional British pub and sampling fish and chips - though he humorously described the classic dish as 'batter with a side of fish'.
