This is the moment a Bridgerton actress had her phone stolen by a prolific Algerian thief in Joe & the Juice – before the star heroically fought back in front of stunned customers.
MailOnline can reveal for the first time CCTV of Genevieve Chenneour, 27, bravely defending herself after Zacariah Boulares, 18, snuck up behind her and grabbed her phone in the upmarket coffee shop on Kensington High Street, west London, on February 8.
Around 18 months earlier, Boulares had threatened to behead Aled Jones with a machete as he stole his £17,000 Rolex in Chiswick, west London.
The thief, then 16, was locked up for his attack on the Welsh chorister in October 2023 but was released from youth detention early after serving just 14 months of his 24-month sentence.
Boulares, who can now be named and pictured after turning 18, has gone on to commit a spate of crimes, including robbing rising star Ms Chenneour, who plays rumour-monger Clara Livingston in hit Netflix period drama Bridgerton.
The thug’s extensive criminal history – 12 previous convictions relating to 28 offences – was laid bare after he pleaded guilty on May 29 to stealing Ms Chenneour’s phone and assaulting another customer, Carlo Kurcishi.
In exclusive footage obtained by MailOnline, the actress can be seen courageously fighting back against the hooded thief who targeted her while she was out with a friend on a dog walk.
Speaking of the moment she fought off the teenage thug, Ms Chenneour previously told the Mail: ‘They didn’t expect me to stand up for myself – but I did.’
Dramatic footage shows prolific thief Zacariah Boulares creeping up behind the actress and stealing her phone
CCTV footage shows brave the moment Bridgerton actress, Genevieve Chenneour fought back against the thug
Genievieve Chennour (pictured) previously told how she was left ‘concussed and traumatised’ after being robbed at the popular lunch haunt by Algerian national, Zacariah Boulares
Zacariah Boulares, 18, (pictured) has pleaded guilty to the robber on May 29 as well as common assault, and is due to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on June 17
MailOnline previously obtained footage of Boulares, then 16, appearing to clutch a machete after he ran away from the spot Aled Jones was mugged of a £17k Rolex
In the CCTV, Boulares can be seen prowling around the back of the café, waiting for Ms Chenneour’s friend to leave her alone at the table when he ordered before he pounces.
The hooded thief, wearing all black with a navy cap, then swipes the phone while Ms Chenneour has her back turned, but she quickly leaps into action and takes down the thief with the help of her friend.
The fearless Yorkshire-born actress puts her arm out to block the thief from leaving and dislodges the phone from his hand.
Retrieving the iPhone from off the floor, she then uses the device to strike Boulares who is left helpless on the floor.
The commotion continued as shocked onlookers began to form a crowd in the popular café in Kensington.
The tussle can then be seen spilling into the back of the café, where Ms Chenneour, her friend and Boulares can only be seen in CCTV in glimpses via a mirror.
After around four minutes of scuffling, the humbled crook then points his finger in the face of Ms Chenneour’s friend before walking out of the café without the phone.
The actress previously revealed: ‘I was left with a concussion just before the Screen Actors Guild Awards and since then, I’ve felt constantly on edge.
‘Even my dog was traumatised – now, if anyone touches me, he panics and tries to protect me.
‘Getting a coffee shouldn’t be something you need your wits about you for.
Genevieve Chenneour is seen starring as Clara Livingston (pictured) in Netflix hit period drama Bridgerton
The Yorkshire-born thespian quickly noticed her phone was missing, and bravely confronted Boulares who has a history of violent crime
She courageously stood up to the thief, hitting him with the phone as he tussled with a man on the floor during the ordeal
After a tussle, the thief then pointed his finger and said something to Ms Chenneour’s friend
Covering his face with a hat and a scarf, he then fled the Joe & the Juice on High Street Kensington
‘I’m so grateful to the staff at Joe & The Juice – they were incredible during the incident and when I went back to see them after.’
Boulares appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on May 29, where he pleaded guilty to stealing the phone and assaulting Mr Kurcishi.
To the charge of stealing a mobile phone of a value unknown belonging to the Bridgerton actress, he shouted: ‘Guilty’.
He also admitted stealing a black leather hand bag from a diner at a pizza restaurant in London’s West End on 30 January this year.
The defendant has been remanded into custody with sentencing scheduled for June 17 at Isleworth Crown Court in west London.
More than 70,000 phones were snatched in London in 2024, out of an estimated 100,000 thefts across the UK.
Ms Chenneour is a former athlete who joined Team GB’s artistic swimming team at the age of 15.
She was awarded an Olympic scholarship before the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, but her sporting career was cut short by injury and she retrained as an actress.
After appearing as a stunt double in the underwater sequences of period feature Gateway To The West, she landed her breakthrough role in the Regency drama.
A source was previously quoted as saying: ‘Genevieve showed real bravery throughout. It was a very shocking incident.
‘It shows what is happening on London’s streets on a daily basis.
‘This was just another young woman going about her daily business. She’s handled it brilliantly.’
The Algerian national threatened to behead the Welsh baritone (pictured) if he continued to follow him after he stole his £17,000 watch
Genevieve Chenneour, pictured here at the premiere of Netflix’s The Gentlemen at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane in March last year, had her phone stolen in February this year
Boulares went on to rob Ms Chenneour after being released from youth detention for the attack on chorister Mr Jones on July 7 2023.
The Algerian national threatened Mr Jones with a 20-inch blade, demanding the ‘f***king Rolex’ on the singer’s arm, while threatening to cut his limb off. Boulares could not be named at the time due to his age.
After the terrified baritone gave the menacing youth his Dayton, Boulares later said he would ‘cut [Jones’s] head off’ if the Songs of Praise star continued to follow him.
The now 18-year-old appeared late to magistrates court late several times before he eventually pleaded guilty to robbery and possession of an offensive weapon at Wimbledon Youth Court.
It was also heard the youngster had also stolen a £20,000 gold Rolex from a pensioner. His record was dubbed ‘appalling’ by Chairman of the bench Rex Da Roach.
A Detention and Training Order (DTO) can be handed to teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17, where they serve half of their time in custody and are later supervised, by a Youth Offending Team.
However after only 14 months the Algerian national was freed, and later went on to commit a spate of crimes, including at Joe & the Juice.
A spokesman for the Met Police said: ‘Police were called to a restaurant on Kensington High Street on Saturday, 8 February following reports of a theft and an assault.
‘CCTV showed the suspect stealing a phone from the table and then assaulting a separate member of the public who confronted him.
‘The victim of the assault was kicked and punched before the suspect left the premises.
‘CCTV enquiries identified Zacariah Boulares as the suspect and he was arrested.
‘Boulares, 18 (21/02/2007) was charged with common assault and theft.’
