In the summer of 2000, Lee Wenham, a career criminal from Southeast London, masterminded a bold heist targeting the Millennium Dome’s £350 million diamond collection. His plan to steal the flawless 203.04-carat Millennium Star using a bulldozer and escape by speedboat captivated the nation when it collapsed under police surveillance. This audacious plot now fuels Netflix’s The Diamond Heist, a true-crime series unraveling one of Britain’s most infamous failed robberies.
Directed by Jesse Vile and executive produced by Guy Ritchie, The Diamond Heist premieres on Netflix on April 16, 2025. The three-part series, exclusive to the platform, is based on true events, featuring Wenham’s firsthand accounts. Produced by Lightbox Entertainment, it promises a gritty, authentic retelling.
The series follows Wenham’s gang as they plan to ram-raid the Dome, unaware that the Flying Squad’s Operation Magician, involving 200 officers, is watching. Through interviews and reenactments, it captures the heist’s audacity and the police’s meticulous takedown, revealing a story of ambition and betrayal.
Where Is Lee Wenham Now?
Lee Wenham, now in his late 40s, lives in Kent, far from his criminal past. Born into a Gypsy family in Southeast London, he was steeped in crime from a young age, stealing a JCB at 15. In 2000, he led the Millennium Dome heist, targeting £350 million in diamonds. Arrested on November 7, 2000, during the raid, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to rob and served four years of a nine-year sentence.
Released in 2005, Wenham now works as a builder and focuses on his two daughters, Beth and her sister, who knew little of his criminal life. He co-authored Diamond Gangster, a memoir set for release on May 22, 2025, and appeared in Netflix’s The Diamond Heist. Associates Aldo Ciarrocchi and Robert Adams, sentenced to 15 years each, have stayed out of the spotlight.
A diamond tattoo on Wenham’s arm marks his past, but he now seeks a quiet life. His father’s pub connections and early crimes shaped his path, yet he has avoided major trouble since prison.
What Is the Real Story of Lee Wenham, Featured in Netflix’s The Diamond Heist?
In 2000, Lee Wenham and his Southeast London gang planned to steal the £350 million Millennium Star from the Millennium Dome. They intended to crash a stolen JCB into the De Beers exhibit, grab the diamond, and escape by speedboat.
The Flying Squad, tipped off earlier, launched Operation Magician, monitoring them for months. On November 7, 2000, 200 officers, including 40 firearms specialists, ambushed the gang. Decoy diamonds replaced the real ones, and disguised officers arrested Wenham at a Kent farm.
He pleaded guilty, receiving nine years but served four. The heist, inspired by prior failed robberies, was foiled by surveillance and a detective’s hunch about the Dome’s jewels.
Source: The Telegraph
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Arvind is a Senior Writer and Editor at Hilvaro, specializing in anime, entertainment, and pop culture. With a BSc in Transportation Technology, his passion for storytelling led him to a career in journalism. He has previously contributed to Sportskeeda and GameRant, covering anime and entertainment with a keen eye for detail.
Outside writing, Arvind loves gaming and is fond of anime, binge-watching movies and television series. He spends some of his free time listening to rock music and writing poetry. What Arvind appreciates most about pop culture is the theme that makes it more alive and engaging for this generation; thus the possibility of such content reaching readers across the globe.
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