Mugger Who Stole Aled Jones's Watch in Chiswick Named
Zacariah Boulares has since been convicted of robbery of Bridgerton star
Left - Zacariah Boulares. Picture: Met Police. Right - Aled Jones. Picture: Classic FM
June 3, 2025
A prolific mugger who threatened Aled Jones with a machete in Chiswick when he was aged 16 has been named following his conviction for another robbery of a celebrity.
Zacariah Boulares, an Algerian national, can now be identified as the verdict for the later offence came after his 18th birthday. He appeared in Westminster Magistrates’s Court recently where he admitted violently grabbing a phone from Bridgerton star Genevieve Chenneour as well as other robberies. During proceedings it emerged that Boulares had 12 previous convictions relating to 28 offences including the robbery of Mr Jones on 7 July 2023.
The Classic FM and Songs of Praise presenter was walking with his son near Chiswick High Road at around 5:30pm when Boulares approached him with a machete and threatened to cut his arm off unless he handed over his £17,000 Daytona Rolex watch.
CCTV captured him leaving the scene and he was identified by members of the local neighbourhood police team who were already aware of his record of offending. The previous month he had taken a Rolex from a 78-year-old man near Paddington station.
Boulares, who at the time was living in Feltham, was given a two-year detention and training order (DTO) after admitting two counts of robbery and one of possession of a bladed weapon. This was the maximum sentence allowed as the prosecution had failed to win its argument that the case should be heard in a Crown Court given the gravity of the offence. Boulares was also transferred into the care of the local authority. The stolen watch was never recovered.
Boulares was freed from detention 14 months into the term and immediately started reoffending.
In his latest string of robberies, he targeted Ms Chennour, who played Miss Clara Livingston in the Netflix series, outside the Kensington branch of Joe and the Juice. She was walking her dog on 2 February this year when Boulares demanded her phone, she resisted and was left with concussion when the robber used force to take it from her.
Boulares has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on 17 June.
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