Footage that was recently released shows Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour fighting back after a man tried to take her phone. Viewers are applauding the star, who used the phone as a weapon against the man.
The incident happened at a coffee shop in February. The actress who plays Miss Clara Livingston in the period drama Bridgerton. According to the Daily Mail, she was inside a Joe & The Juice when her phone was snatched by a man.
How did Genevieve Chenneour defend herself from the phone thief?
It’s not just any thief who took Chenneour’s phone, either, according to the report. The thief was none other than Zacariah Boulares. Boulares reportedly previously made headlines for threatening a man with beheading over a Rolex watch and has been accused of several more thefts. CCTV footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows the actress’s phone next to her purse on a table running along the wall of the shop. It also shows Boulares reaching around from behind her to snatch her phone. Boulares has since pleaded guilty to the theft in court.
Did she get her phone back?
Once the actress realized her phone had been taken, footage shows she turned to confront the man, ultimately knocking him to the floor, where he dropped her phone. Chenneour was able to grab her phone, the video shows, before hitting him with it.
According to the Daily Mail, Chenneour claims the incident left her concussed.
“I think it just was an instinct,” she said of her reaction to fight back in an interview on ITV. “I also do a lot of fight training for work and acting.”
She added, “I thought that was a normal reaction. And I read all the comments [online] and realized, actually, a lot of people would just let them take the phone.”
The Daily Mail posted the video to TikTok, where viewers applauded the actress’ reaction.
“I love that not only did she get her phone back she weaponized it,” one viewer said.
“Recovered her stolen phone and used it to bludgeon the thief. Epic,” another said.
@dailymailuk This is the moment a Bridgerton actress had her phone stolen by a prolific Algerian thief in Joe & the Juice in West London – before the star heroically fought back in front of stunned customers. Read the full story on DailyMail.co.uk #phonethief #london #kensington #news #phone ♬ Scary Tense – Steve Ralph
How common is phone theft in the U.K.?
A report from U.K.-based publication the Spectator shows about one in three adults in the United Kingdom have had their phones stolen, up from 17% in 2023 to 29% in 2025.
In addition to phone thefts happening in restaurants and cafes, mobile devices are increasingly being stolen from people while they simply walk down the street.
What can I do to keep my phone from being stolen in public?
Local law enforcement recommends being watchful while using mobile phones in public, especially while taking phone calls.
Many thefts are attempted by people on bikes and mopeds, who make a quick and speedy departure after snatching devices, according to Police.UK.
Additionally, make sure to use a complicated passcode to lock your phone. Keeping it in a pocket or bag and going hands-free with headphones or a Bluetooth headset can also help deter thieves.
H/T Daily Mail
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
