Teen Admits Machete Robberies, Including Threat to Decapitate TV Host

An Algerian teenager has admitted to a series of machete robberies in London, targeting victims for luxury watches and threatening extreme violence. Zacariah Boulares, now 19, pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to two counts of robbery with a machete and one count of attempted robbery.

Boulares, who was 16 at the time of the incident involving Aled Jones, threatened to cut off the TV presenter's head after stealing his £17,000 Rolex watch in Chiswick in 2023. He also admitted to attempting to steal actress Genevieve Chenneour's mobile phone in February last year at a branch of Joe & The Juice on Kensington High Street.

Pattern of Robberies

The court heard that Boulares committed two machete-point robberies in August 2023. On August 9, he robbed Mark Turner of his Rolex watch in Kensington Square Gardens. Ten days later, he attempted to steal a Rolex watch from Neil Tallantire outside a Waitrose in Bayswater, but the bid failed.

Boulares has a history of criminal offenses, with 12 previous convictions for 28 offenses, including violence, weapon possession, and theft. In July last year, he was sentenced to a 24-month youth detention and training order for crimes including the attempted theft of Chenneour's phone and the theft of a blind woman's handbag. He also pleaded guilty to stealing another woman's rucksack in central London in January and February 2025.

Victim Impact

Actress Genevieve Chenneour, who appeared in the Netflix series Bridgerton, described the terrifying moment she fought off Boulares. She stated she was left with a concussion and felt constantly on edge, with her dog also traumatized by the event. Chenneour, a former artistic swimmer for Team GB, had her sporting career cut short by injury before becoming an actress.

During the incident with Aled Jones, Boulares trailed the presenter before brandishing a machete and demanding his watch, threatening to sever his arm. After the robbery, Boulares further threatened Jones when he noticed the presenter following him, warning him to walk away or have his head cut off.

Boulares, originally from Feltham, is awaiting sentencing. His cases have been adjourned for psychological assessments and probation reports on his dangerousness to be finalized. A sentencing date is expected to be set on August 11.