Those who've watched the new Netflix docuseries, The Diamond Heist, may well be curious as to where the other criminals who took part in Lee Wenham's failed plan to rob £350 million worth of jewels are today. Turns out, one of them is doing pretty darn well for himself according to new reports: Aldo Ciarrocchi (better known as 'The Technician').
Although he declined to take part in the Netflix series, directed by Guy Ritchie, Aldo says he forced himself to watch it but didn't want to appear himself, feeling wary about the way he'd been portrayed.
"They want you to tell your story and they're all over you for 20 minutes and you make out you were the mastermind of the operation. I didn't want to get involved," he told the Daily Mail after the three-part documentary dropped on the streaming platform.
Here's what we know about Aldo 'The Technician' Ciarrocchi, the Diamond Heist robber, and where he is today:
Who is Aldo Ciarrocchi?
Aldo Ciarrocchi might not be a household name, but his past is the stuff of a Hollywood gangster film (which makes sense, given that Guy Ritchie produced the Netflix docuseries all about the failed robbery Aldo was involved in).
Born in London to an Italian father and British mother who raised him on a council estate in Bermondsey, Aldo’s life took a dramatic turn when he became a key player in one of the boldest attempted thefts in UK history – the Millennium Dome diamond heist. He was 29 years old at the time of the foiled plot.
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Known as 'The Technician' by his crew, Aldo was part of a gang that meticulously planned to steal the Millennium Star, a diamond worth an eye-watering £200 million, along with some other nearby jewels on display in the tourist attraction.
Fast forward to today, and it sounds like Aldo's life couldn’t be more different. In a new report from the Daily Mail, it's claimed he's swapped the high-stakes world of crime for a quiet, middle-class existence.
The paper reports that Aldo is now married to a former fashion model, Elisabeth Kirsch, and living in a stylish £1 million property, along with their children Isobella and Piera.
How was Aldo Ciarrocchi involved in the Millennium Dome diamond heist?
Those old enough will remember that the site now known as the O2 Arena was once the Millennium Dome: an exhibition created to celebrate the iconic year that was 2000. It had a whole mash-up of experiences inside, from a gigantic statue of a crouching boy, to a tunnel lined with £50 amassing £1 million, and of course, the now infamous De Beers diamond display. Something which caught the eye of some opportunistic thieves.
Aldo was part of the crew led by Lee Wenham, who plotted an audacious raid, involving using a JCB digger to smash through the Dome and a speedboat for a dramatic getaway along the Thames. The only problem? The police were onto the group, and on the day of the attempted heist there were multiple plain clothes officers posing as cleaners on site. Oh, and they'd swapped the real jewels out for fakes.
As for Aldo’s role, he was stationed outside the Dome and tasked with setting off smoke bombs to cause panic and distraction, freeing up crucial time for the rest of the crew to smash their way into the diamond display cases with sledgehammers and a nail gun.
The flopped heist ended in chaos, with the gang arrested on the spot, and Aldo was later handed a 15-year prison sentence, reduced down to 12 years following an appeal.
When reflecting on the heist, he has since described it as "the biggest failure in criminal history" and admitted it was a "suicide mission" from the start.
Where is Aldo Ciarrocchi today?
These days, Aldo Ciarrocchi is far removed from the world of smoke bombs and diamond heists. Now 55, he lives in a converted warehouse in South London with his wife Elisabeth and their two daughters.
The couple runs a successful reclamation business, which according to its website 'specialise(s) in the supply of reclaimed flooring, cladding and lighting to homes and businesses throughout the UK'. Their property has even been featured in the Sunday Times thanks to its chic design – as well as being used as a filming location. Spookily, Aldo's company has even worked with Diamond Heist producer, Guy Ritchie, on a previous project.
But Aldo's past hasn't been entirely forgotten, especially not now it has been immortalised in a Netflix documentary. The story was also previously featured in a TV programme with Ross Kemp, which Aldo says prompted him to have a difficult discussion with his two daughters about his past. "We didn't glamourise it," he said. "We told them the truth—it was a dumb mistake."
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.
