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Genevieve Chenneour, the 27-year-old actress who played Clara Livingston in season 3 of the hit Netflix series Bridgerton, has spoken out about her terrifying experience of being robbed in a London coffee shop in February.
Chenneour revealed that she was "threatened with being stabbed" during the ordeal, which she described as a "battle of life and death" in her mind. The suspect, 18-year-old Zacariah Boulares, has been charged with theft and assault and is expected to be sentenced on June 17.
Chenneour said she had a "sixth sense that something wasn't quite right" in the moments before her phone was taken from the table behind her. She recalled being "shocked" when she first saw the surveillance camera footage from inside the cafe of the attack.
"I didn't even remember my reaction and I thought it was way longer than it actually was. That moment before anything happened, I thought it was about 20 seconds, but it was milliseconds," she said.
Chenneour said she was able to react quickly to the theft because of her "very quick reactions thanks to having three brothers growing up" and her training in boxing.
"I don't know what came over me. I thought that was a normal reaction. And then I read all the comments and realized, actually, a lot of people would just let them take the phone," she said.
Despite being able to get her phone back, Chenneour said the incident has had lasting consequences for her, making her "agoraphobic" and finding it hard to leave the house.
When asked what advice she would give to others in a similar situation, Chenneour said, "I don't know if I would advise anybody else to do it."
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Chenneour's story has sparked a conversation about how people react in situations like this. While some might choose to let the thief take their belongings, Chenneour's quick thinking and bravery have inspired others to take a stand.
What do you think? Would you react like Chenneour or take a different approach? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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