Thief who swiped Bridgerton star's phone before she tackled him to cafe floor and grabbed it back with pal is jailed

Scottish Sun

01-07-2025

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A BRAZEN thief who nicked a Bridgerton star's phone before being wrestled to the ground by the actress has been jailed for 22 months.
CCTV footage showed the moment Zacariah Boulares, 18, swiped the device from unsuspecting Genevieve Chenneour in a coffee shop in Kensington, south west London.
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Zacariah Boulares was captured trying to nab the star's mobile
Credit: Met Police
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After spotting the theft, Genevieve fought back against the thief
Credit: Met Police
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Genevieve tackled the thief to the ground
Credit: Instagram
Genevieve, 27, attempted to stop the teenager escaping during the daylight mugging in a Joe & The Juice branch in February.
The brave actress, who played Clara Livingston in the third season of the Netflix period drama, grabbed Boulares' shoulder after she realised her phone had been taken.
She tackled the serial thief to the ground with the help of then boyfriend, scriptwriter Carlo Kureishi, who was assaulted and warned he would be stabbed by the teen.
Former professional athlete Genevieve managed to take her phone back from Boulares before repeatedly hitting him with it during the ordeal in the posh cafe.
Speaking on the theft, the Yorkshire-born Netflix star said said: "They didn't expect me to stand up for myself, but I did."
In her victim impact statement, the actress said she was "extremely shaken" and could not stop playing out the incident in her head.
She said: "I am extremely worried I might see both suspects.
"I felt like I emotionally shut down [and] I am anxious to leave my home again.
"I really like going to Joe & The Juice but I am nervous about being there again and have already begun considering leaving London."
She claimed that she was left with concussion after the horror on February 8 and said even her dog was "traumatised".
Her ex-boyfriend Carlo, son of playwright Hanif Kureishi, said in his statement he is now "worried and scared" to carry his belongings.
He added: "I feel like being in a cafe is going to make me feel paranoid and unsafe."
Bridgerton star 'left with concussion' after she tried to stop teen thief stealing her phone in coffee shop
Prosecutor Alex Mullen told Isleworth Crown Court how Genevieve had suffered "significant emotional distress".
Mr Mullen said: "She ordered a drink and sat waiting for it to be made.
"While she was was waiting she noticed that the defendant walked past her.
"Then a short time after heard a sound as if someone was very close behind her.
"She turned and she witnessed the defendant taking her phone from the counter on which she'd placed it just behind her."
Genevieve confronted Boulares before Carlo "detained him on the floor of the care for some period of time".
Carlo was then "attacked" by Boulares' unknown accomplice.
The prosecutor added: "He was told that he would be "f***ed up or stabbed by them.
"While all that was going on the police where phoned by Ms Chenneour and the incident gained the attention of other people in the cafe who also called the police."
Algerian national Boulares pleaded guilty to stealing the phone.
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She tackled the thief to the ground with the help of another customer
Credit: Met Police
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Zacariah Boulares previously pleaded guilty to stealing the phone
Credit: Central News
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Genevieve played Clara Livingston in the third season of Bridgerton
The teen, of Hounslow, also admitted common assault against Carlo.
Boulares pleaded guilty to a separate charge of theft after he nabbed a black leather hand bag from a diner at a pizza restaurant.
He also admitted theft of a multi-coloured backpack from a blind couple dining at Five Guys in Kensington on 18 February.
Two years ago, Boulares robbed a 78-year-old man of a gold Rolex worth £20,000 at Paddington station.
The court heard he has 12 previous convictions for a total of 28 offences - all relating to theft.
His rap sheet includes threatening to cut off Aled Jones' arm while stealing his £17,000 Rolex.
The Songs of Praise presenter, 52, was out with his son Lucas when he was targeted near their home in Chiswick, South West London.
Boulares - then aged 16 - pulled out 20 inch machete and repeatedly threatened Aled in a bid to steal the luxury timepiece.
He told him: "Give me your f***king Rolex or I will cut your arm off."
Aled handed over the £17,000 Rolex Daytona watch rather than fight with the armed robber.
He and his son bravely followed the 6ft teen but when he spotted them, he snarled: "Walk the other way or I will cut your head off."
Police managed to track the teen down after he was captured on CCTV leaving the scene.
Boulares was given a two year training and detention order after pleading guilty to robbery at Ealing Youth Court.
But he was released from youth detention early after serving just 14 months of his 24-month sentence.
As well as Bridgerton, Genevieve appeared in historical film 1242: Gateway To The West.
She is also a former professional athlete who represented Team GB at the Baku 2015 European Games in Artistic swimming events.
Long-haired Boulares, who appeared in the dock wearing a grey prison issue tracksuit, was sentenced to 22 months by Judge Martin Edmunds