Actor from Bridgerton subdues mobile device robber
Title: "Bridgerton Star Genevieve Chenneour Fights Back Against Cafe Thief"
For actress Genevieve Chenneour, best known as Clara Livingston from "Bridgerton," a casual coffee break turned into a high-stakes drama. On a typical February day in 2025, at a Joe & the Juice café in Kensington, London, Chenneour found herself in the middle of a audacious phone theft attempt.
Proudly showcased for the first time on surveillance footage, the incident sees Chenneour, aged 27, and her dog-walking buddy settling down for a chat when 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares sneaks up from the shadows. Eager to snatch the actress's phone, Boulares waits for Chenneour's friend to leave before making his move. But the cunning actress, with her martial arts skills learned from years as a former Team GB artistic swimmer, was not about to let her guard down.
Boulares, no stranger to the law or public drama, manages to whisk the phone off the table and makes a run for it. However, Chenneour was not ready to hand over her device without a fight. In a breathless, four-minute battle, Chenneour proficiently fends off the thief, giving him a good whack with her phone along the way until Boulares is eventually chased out of the café.
A Notorious History
Boulares finds himself no stranger to the courtroom, having a reputation for prior transgressions. As a 16-year-old in 2023, he held pop singer Aled Jones at machete point and stole a Rolex worth £17,000. This earned him a 24-month youth sentence, serving 14 months, and a lengthy criminal record since his release.
On May 29, Boulares faced The Westminster Magistrates' Court, pleading guilty to the phone theft as well as assaulting another café patron a few weeks earlier. A further charge of stealing a handbag from another establishment was acknowledged. The sentencing for these crimes is scheduled for June 17.
Mental Impact
The harrowing experience has taken a toll on Chenneour, who openly shares her ongoing concern and nervousness since the incident. "Ever since, I've been constantly on edge," she confesses, affected both by the theft and her newfound fear of the city she has called home for seven years. Even her loyal dog exhibits signs of trauma whenever someone comes too close.
Chenneour remains grateful for the café staff's support during this trying time, expressing her gratitude for their assistance and encouragement. She chose to take a break from London in order to gather her thoughts, heal both physically and emotionally, and find solace from the traumatic event.
"I'm not going to tell you what I'm gonna do, but the incident with the phone thief at Joe & the Juice café in Kensington, London, has prompted me to consider taking up another form of self-defense, like studying karate or mixed martial arts, beyond my martial arts skills learned from years as a former Team GB artistic swimmer."
"In the wake of this phone theft and the assualt charge against Zacariah Boulaars, I'm planning to venture more into providing entertainment and raising awareness about general news, crime, and justice, using my platform as a celebreties and Bridgerton star to highlight such issues, emphasizing their impact not only on individuals but also on society at large."
