A popular TikTok influencer from the United States recently shared a harrowing incident where he was allegedly assaulted and robbed at knifepoint in London, just five hours after arriving in the city.
Eric Ou, who boasts a following of 335,000 on Instagram and 288,000 on TikTok, took to social media to share his unsettling experience. He recounted the events while strolling through the heart of London alongside two friends.
In a video clip, Ou, visibly holding ice against his face, explained that the frightening encounter took place in Soho on a Thursday night.
“I’ve only been in London for five hours, and I just had my chain snatched and got punched in the face,” he informed his audience.
“Is this typical for London? Is this the London experience everyone talks about?” he questioned, expressing disbelief.
Ou, who serves as the Chief Commercial Officer of AI company Turbo AI, described the alleged incident, stating that he was approached by an individual wearing what he identified as a “fake Gucci hat,” who initially asked for directions.
‘I literally got off the Metro, had Nando’s, and now we’re in Soho and I just f***ing got my s*** snatched.
‘Anyone sees a guy in a fake Gucci hat asking for directions to Oxford [Street], do not give him directions to Oxford.
WARNING: Video contains explicit language
Eric Ou told how a robber armed with a knife allegedly punched him in the face and stole £3,000 worth of jewellery after spending just five hours in London
Mr Ou, who has also visited a classic British pub during his trip, said the incident occurred in Soho on Thursday night
‘But did we back down? No we did not back down. Gonna buy a $4,000.’
In a later video the TikToker said the man pulled out a knife before punching him in the face and snatching his ‘chain’.
He also posted a photograph of himself enjoying a cup of tea with the caption: ‘They took my chains but not my swag’.
The incident does not seem to have prevented him taking in the local sights, with Mr Ou sharing photos of himself visiting a pub and trying the British staple: fish and chips.
The American appeared less than impressed with the dish, joking it was ‘batter with a side of fish’.
It comes just days after Team GB swimmer turned actress Genevieve Chenneour called for women’s safety to be prioritised in the city after she was assaulted for the second time in less than a year in the capital.
She described her terror after being struck by a man who ‘locked onto’ her as she walked to an audition last week, before elbowing her and body-checking her ‘with full force’.
Ms Chenneour, who starred as debutante Clara Livingston in Netflix drama Bridgerton, was left tearful after the incident and told fans nobody stopped to check on her.
It comes just days after Team GB swimmer turned actress Genevieve Chenneour (pictured) called for women’s safety to be prioritised in the city after she was assaulted for the second time in less than a year in the capital
Ms Chenneour, who starred as debutante Clara Livingston in Netflix drama Bridgerton, was left tearful after being assaulted in London for the second time in a year
It followed an attempted mugging in Kensington in February which left the actress with a concussion.
While prolific thief Zacariah Boulares, 18, is now serving a 22-month prison term for the would-be theft, an accomplice who came into the shop and threatened to stab Genevieve as she fought him off remains at large.
In a video shared to social media this week Ms Chenneour added she has also been ‘groped more times than I can count’ in the capital.
There is a growing concern over crime in the capital with phone thefts and robberies spiralling out of control.
In 2024 alone some 117,211 phones were reported as stolen in London – with the true number thought to be far higher.
Muggings for expensive items such as luxury watches are also a concern.
In one area that covers both Oxford Street and Shaftesbury Avenue, a total of 508 muggings were reported to police in the year to June 2025.
Another 499 robberies of individuals were recorded in the area including Regent Street, New Bond Street and sections of Oxford Street in the same time period.
