Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour reveals trauma after violent phone theft in London
Genevieve Chenneour says she no longer feels safe in London after a violent phone theft in a café left her traumatised and agoraphobic.
Bridgerton actress Genevieve Chenneour, 27, says she is now "severely agoraphobic" and afraid to leave home following a violent phone theft at a west London café in February. The attack left her concussed and traumatised, prompting her to move in with her mother outside the capital.
The incident
Chenneour was meeting her ex-boyfriend at Joe & The Juice on Kensington High Street when a man seized her phone from the table. She confronted him, sparking a five-minute struggle involving up to four people.
During the scuffle, the assailants threatened to stab her. Chenneour briefly blacked out and later found herself holding one attacker in a headlock until falsely told the police had arrived. The men fled before officers reached the scene.
Zacariah Boulares, 18, was jailed for 22 months in July at Isleworth Crown Court after admitting common assault and three counts of theft. A second suspect remains unidentified.
Aftermath and impact
The actress reports ongoing fear, severe anxiety about public spaces, and altered routines. She now avoids public transport, stays in hotels when in London, and is seeking therapy. She praised café staff and responding officers but criticised the Met Police for a lack of coordinated aftercare.
Response and warnings
The Metropolitan Police say they are "relentlessly pursuing criminal gangs" behind phone thefts and have increased patrols in hotspot areas. Chenneour urges offenders to consider the real harm they inflict on victims.
Chenneour’s experience highlights the lasting psychological toll of violent street crime and the need for better victim support.
This topic was reported by BBC.
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