2 days ago
Watch: Bridgerton actress fights off Algerian phone thief
Credit: Metropolitan Police
Footage has revealed the moment a Bridgerton actress fought off a prolific Algerian criminal who tried to steal her phone.
Genevieve Chenneour turned to see Zacariah Boulares grab her device from the table behind her as she waited for her order at a Joe & The Juice coffee shop in Kensington, west London.
The 27-year-old immediately put her hands up to block his exit with the help of another customer. As the other customer held Boulares down, Ms Chenneour grabbed her dropped phone from the floor and used it to hit him in the back.
She was left with concussion after Boulares retaliated, hitting and kicking the other customer who helped during the incident in February.
Chenneour, who played Clara Livingston in the third season of the Netflix period drama, has thanked her fans for their support since the attack.
Posting on Instagram, she wrote: 'I'm okay and incredibly grateful he won't be able to harm anyone else. I am, however, finding it difficult to feel safe going out – especially after being repeatedly threatened with being stabbed in the face.'
Boulares, who has 12 previous convictions relating to 28 offences, admitted stealing her phone and assaulting another customer when he appeared at Westminster magistrates' court last week.
The 18-year-old, who is an Algerian national, previously threatened to cut off Aled Jones's arm with a machete unless he handed over his £17,000 Rolex watch.
He then threatened to behead the BBC Songs of Praise presenter if he continued to follow him after the robbery in July 2023.
Boulares had also previously stolen a Rolex worth £20,000 from a 78-year-old man at Paddington station in west London. He was put in youth detention as a result, but released after 14 months of his 24-month sentence.
In addition to the phone theft and assault, Boulares pleaded guilty to another theft after he stole a black leather bag from a customer at a pizza restaurant.
He has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on June 17.
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