For anyone who grew up in the nineties, London's O2 Arena will forever kinda sorta always be known as the Millennium Dome – a mash-up exhibition space featuring various rooms, including one full of £50 notes, a gigantic statue of a crouching boy (because... art?) and a De Beers diamond worth a cool and casual £200 million. Oh, and a photobooth where you could get a snap with E.T.
But for one man, Lee Wenham, along with a group of other south-east London criminals, the De Beers diamond was the only real attraction to the tourist experience. So much so, the group attempted to steal it, as detailed in the new three-part Netflix docuseries (produced by Guy Ritchie), The Diamond Heist.
Those familiar with the series will likely be curious about the backstory and where the ringleader of the operation, Lee Wenham, is today.
Here's the lowdown...
What was the Millennium Dome diamond heist?
The Millennium Dome diamond heist, which took place in November 2000, was a highly publicised robbery targeting the De Beers diamond exhibition at the Millennium Dome in London. A group of criminals decided they're target the prized Millennium Star diamond—an impressive 203-carat gem valued at £200 million (along with some additional side jewels, taking the total up to around £350 million).
In the series, Lee explains he "doesn't know anything about diamonds" but thought it was a "bit of a piss take" keeping something so valuable in the public eye. Describing the Millennium Dome experience as a whole, Lee also adds that it "was crap to be honest, shit [...] The only exciting thing was the diamonds".
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The father of two also claims in the series that he'd intended for this job to be his last, so that he could spend more time raising his two girls, including Beth who appears in the series.
Going on to earn themselves the collective nickname of the 'Diamond Geezers', the criminals meticulously planned to break into the Dome using a JCB excavator to smash through the barriers and steal the diamonds.
Unbeknownst to the thieves, the police had been tipped off months prior and had replaced the diamonds with replicas. On the day of the heist, 200 armed officers disguised as cleaning staff were waiting inside the Dome as four men attempted to use a nail gun and sledgehammers to bust open the case.
The gang were caught red-handed before they could escape, marking the end of their elaborate plan and jail time.
Who is Lee Wenham and how was he involved?
Lee Wenham was one of the key figures in the heist and was in his thirties at the time of the attempted robbery. Lee grew up in a family of traveling gypsies with a history of criminal activity and strugged with dyslexia, leaving school at the age of 12. From then on, Lee began working with his father, who ran a scrap metal business and lived on a farm, and before long had become deeply involved in organised crime, planning and executing various robberies, and seemingly living the high life (claiming to be raking in £6,000 a week through his wrongdoing and "taking out" cashpoints).
Lee's reputation as a skilled planner caught the attention of Ray Betson, the original mastermind behind the Millennium Dome heist, and he became instrumental in devising the logistics of the robbery, including overriding the sensors and glass cases protecting the jewels, along with acquiring the JCB excavator and mapping out the escape route via a speedboat on the River Thames.
In the docuseries, Lee claims to have been motivated by a want to prove himself to the criminals he ran with, who, in his eyes, didn't show him the same amount of respect that they showed his father.
Although Lee was not physically present at the Dome during the heist, his role as the 'brains' behind the operation made him a central figure in the plot.
Did Lee Wenham go to jail?
Following the failed heist, which police had been on to since the beginning (oops), Lee and his accomplices were arrested and charged. Lee also faced additional charges for two other failed robbery attempts earlier in 2000.
During his trial, he pleaded guilty to his involvement in the Millennium Dome heist and the other robberies.
In the end, Lee was sentenced to 13 years in prison (four after pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal the diamond and nine in relation to another robbery from July 2000). However, due to good behaviour, he served only 4.5 years before being released on parole. He later reflected on his time in prison, describing it as a period of adaptation and self-reflection, and expressed regret for missing out on seeing his two daughters grow up, but noted that the experience helped him turn his life around.
Where is Lee Wenham today?
Since his release, Lee Wenham says he has completely transformed his life. He now resides in Kent, where he works as a landscaper and runs a gardening business.
Lee has also become a published author and has a memoir, A Diamond Geezer: The Story Behind Britain’s Biggest Robbery, out next month. The book offers a detailed account of his criminal past, unconventional upbringing and, of course, the failed Millennium Dome heist.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
