Millennium Dome Diamond Heist
On 7th November 2000, a gang of experienced criminals attempted to steal £350 million worth of diamonds from the Millennium Dome in Greenwich, London in what could have been the biggest diamond heist in history. Armed with a JCB digger, sledgehammers, smoke grenades, and a nail gun, they smashed their way into the De Beers diamond exhibition—only to be caught in a meticulously planned police sting, Operation Magician.
Key details:
-
Perpetrators:
-
Raymond Betson (39) – The mastermind behind the heist, an experienced career criminal.
-
William Cockram (47) – Betson’s right-hand man, with a history of high-stakes robberies.
-
Terry Millman (55) – A veteran South London gangster, known for fraud and logistics (died in 2001 before trial).
-
Lee Wenham (32) – The gang’s logistics expert, providing rural hideouts for planning.
-
Daniel Reece (Late 30s/Early 40s) – The gang’s strategist, overseeing planning and timing.
-
Aldo Ciorciari (31) – The gang’s enforcer, specialising in smash-and-grab tactics.
-
Kevin Meredith (Late 30s/Early 40s) – The getaway speedboat driver.
-
Robert Adams (56) – Found inside the vault attempting to breach the diamond cases.
-
-
Offence: Attempted robbery of £350 million worth of diamonds.
-
Location: Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London.
-
Date: 7th November 2000.
Key Details
Background & Planning
-
The Millennium Dome was home to a De Beers diamond exhibition, featuring the 203-carat Millennium Star and 11 rare blue diamonds.
-
The diamonds were displayed inside a high-security vault with armoured glass, CCTV, motion detectors, and security guards.
-
The gang had previously attempted two high-value heists, both of which failed:
-
Nine Elms (February 2000) – Tried to rob a £10M Securicor van but lost the keys to their lorry-mounted spike and had to abandon the job.
-
Aylesford (July 2000) – Tried to rob another Securicor van (£9M) using the same tactics, but police intervened, leading to gunfire and a chaotic escape.
-
-
Clues left behind in these failed attempts (including forensic evidence, counterfeit tax discs, and the words "GERTI Mk II persistent, aren’t we?" painted on a lorry) helped police identify them.
The Police Operation
-
The Flying Squad launched Operation Magician, a covert police sting to track and intercept the gang.
-
The real diamonds were swapped for fakes before the heist.
-
Surveillance was increased at Tong Farm (owned by Wenham), which was being used as a staging ground for the robbery.
-
Over 200 police officers were deployed, including armed SO19 units hidden inside a 100m-long service tunnel.
The Heist
-
At 8:30 am on 7th November 2000, the gang smashed through the Dome’s perimeter fencing and steel doors using a JCB digger.
-
They deployed smoke grenades and ammonia to create chaos and obscure CCTV.
-
Cockram and Adams entered the vault and used a Hilti DX450 nail gun and sledgehammers to break the armoured glass protecting the diamonds.
-
As soon as the glass began to fracture, police stormed the scene, executing the ambush perfectly.
The Arrests
-
Cockram and Adams were arrested inside the vault, caught in the act.
-
Betson was arrested outside the vault, attempting to feign innocence.
-
Meredith was intercepted on the Thames, as police boats surrounded the getaway speedboat.
-
Millman was caught on the north side of the Thames, posing as a road engineer.
-
The entire gang was captured within minutes, without a single shot fired.
Trial & Sentencing
-
The gang claimed there was an ‘inside man’ and a mysterious ‘Mr Big’, but these theories were dismissed in court.
-
Sentences handed down at the Old Bailey:
-
Betson & Cockram – 15 years each (originally 18).
-
Adams & Ciorciari – 15 years each.
-
Wenham – 9 years for his role in both the Dome heist and Aylesford raid.
-
Meredith – 5 years for driving the getaway boat.
-
Millman – Died in 2001 before trial.
-
Why this wouldn't hapen now
-
Security technology has drastically improved, including AI-powered surveillance, biometric security, and predictive policing.
-
Cybercrime has replaced traditional heists—today’s criminals are more likely to target financial institutions through hacking than break into physical vaults.
-
Law enforcement coordination is stronger, making it harder for organised crime to operate undetected.
-
High-value items like diamonds are now tracked digitally, making them harder to sell after theft.
Where are they now?
-
Raymond Betson: Re-arrested in 2014 for a failed Swanley depot ram raid; sentenced to 13 more years.
-
Cockram, Adams, Wenham, Reece, Ciorciari, Meredith: No confirmed criminal activity post-release; many have faded into anonymity.
-
The Millennium Dome has since been redeveloped as The O2 Arena, with no trace of its history as the site of one of Britain’s most infamous failed heists.