‘Bridgerton’ star Genevieve Chenneour confronts a repeat phone thief in surprising coffee shop encounter

Actress Genevieve Chennu Fights Back Against Robber in London

Actress Genevieve Chennu recently turned the tables on a burglar who attempted to snatch her phone while threatening her in a London coffee shop.

Chennu, known for her role as Clara Livingston in the third season of Netflix’s “Bridgerton,” reported that 18-year-old Zakaria Bourares attacked her at Joe & The Juice in the Kensington area of London.

Disturbing footage shows Chennu, 27, confronting the accused criminal as he approached her from behind to steal her phone on February 8.

Chennu quickly took action after Bourares, clad in black and wearing a navy baseball cap, lunged for her phone just as her friend left the table.

She reached out to block his exit, causing the phone to fall to the floor.

In the chaos, while Bourares struggled with her friend, Chennu managed to grab the phone back, surprising those who watched the scene unfold.

In an Instagram post, she recounted the intensity of the moment, stating, “The last person approaching me was the guy who threatened to stab me multiple times. It felt like a life or death situation.” Reflecting on the video, she mentioned feeling chills while watching it.

After posting updates about the incident to her 15,000 followers, Chennu admitted, “I feel bad seeing this.” Another video showed her distressed puppy during the altercation.

She expressed concern for her dog, stating, “My poor baby was screaming and barking. I have a real issue with people touching me in front of him now.”

Chennu also claimed that authorities had released Bourares’ accomplices due to a lack of evidence. “The guy who threatened to stab me never went to court,” she shared. “But I believe karma will catch up with him.”

Previously, Chennu had discussed the emotional toll of the attack. She noted, “I didn’t expect him to fight back,” and reflected on how the incident left her with a concussion just before the Guild Award for Screen Actors.

She added, “Even my dog has been traumatized. Now, if someone gets too close, he panics and tries to protect me.”

Chennu expressed gratitude toward the staff at Joe & The Juice for their support during and after the incident.

Bourares has a troubled history, having made threats during previous robberies, one of which involved a $23,000 stolen Rolex from singer Aled Jones. He was sentenced in October 2023 but served only 14 months of a 24-month sentence.

Chennu commented, “That moment is a blur of survival, realizing that Bourares has previously walked the streets with a machete highlights how serious this is. London is becoming increasingly dangerous, and we can’t let this become our norm. I’m speaking up not just for myself but for everyone.”