At AFS Security Systems, we specialise in keeping you and your property safe and secure. It is for this reason that we’re so fascinated by the biggest robberies of all time, and of course, how they were foiled.
For the next instalment of our series on the biggest robberies of all time, we will be looking at the Millennium Dome Raid, including the haul the robbers expected to get and how the Metropolitan Police Service successfully foiled the attempt.
The Da Beers Exhibition and the Irresistible Diamond
During the year 2000, Da Beers put on a diamond exhibition which was held in the Millennium Dome, now the O2 Arena.
One of the most famous articles being exhibited was the famous Millennium Star; a flawless 203.04 carat diamond with an estimated value of £200 million, and thought to be one of the most perfect gems in the world. Other articles on display included priceless blue diamonds, and therefore the exhibition was extremely tempting for anyone hoping to steal their fortune.
Operation Magician
The Flying Squad, a division of the Metropolitan Police Service, were tipped off about a major robbery plot, and although it was unclear what the robbers were plotting, some of the individuals involved were known to police.
This inspired the police to form a top secret investigation, which was given the code name “Operation Magician”, in order to find out who the culprits were, where they were targeting and whether the tip-off was genuine. After gathering intelligence from multiple sources, police discovered that the location in question was indeed the Millennium Dome.
In February 2000, a gang of armed men attempted to raid a security van in Nine Elms, London, and get away with £10 million. However, their original escape plan failed and they were forced to make their getaway in an inflatable speed boat.
The gang attempted the raid again in July of the same year, only this time in Aylesford, Kent. Although this attempt got them much closer to the cash, an unexpected intervention by police forced gunmen to shoot at the police car and, yet again, flee in an inflatable speed boat.
These unsuccessful robberies came to the attention of the Metropolitan Police, who were then informed that the men could have been after the Millennium jewels. Three of the suspected robbers were then identified by police, who monitored them under surveillance from 1st September 2000.
The Raid
Intelligence gathered by Operation Magician had allowed police to be very prepared for what was going to happen. On 7th November 2000, 200 officers and 60 Flying Squad officers were stationed around the Thames and the Dome, ready to intercept the criminals.
Sure enough, their intelligence was correct. On the morning of the raid, three of the gang members were identified on a JCB wearing body armour and gas masks, which was later explained by their possession of smokebombs, sledgehammers and nail guns, which they intended to use to penetrate the security glass.
The gang used the JCB to break the perimeter fence and enter the Dome, where the gang began throwing smoke bombs and attempting to break the glass to enter what was referred to as “the Money Zone”.
Their plan to weaken and shatter the glass was working, and when the robbers were just inches from accessing the diamonds, they were interrupted by police, who arrested them when they were “just twelve inches from payday”.
Two other men were arrested outside the Dome; one in a speedboat, which police assumed was to be used in the escape, and the other in a van accused of monitoring radio frequencies. Six others were arrested in Kent in connection with the investigation.
Trial
The trial against Lee Wenham, Raymond Betson, William Cockram, Terry Millman, Aldo Ciarrocchi, Robert Adams and Kevin Meredith was brought to court one year later in November 2001.
Raymond Betson and William Cockram, who were considered to be the leaders of the gang, were given 18-year sentences. Aldo Ciarrocchi and Robert Adams were each sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Lee Wenham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal and was sentenced to four years in jail, on top of a nine year sentence after pleading guilty to the Aylesford attempted robbery. Kevin Meredith was cleared of conspiracy to rob, but found guilty of conspiracy to steal, and was sentenced to five years in prison. Terry Millman died of cancer before the trial date.
As well as showing that crime certainly doesn’t pay, the Millennium Dome Raid is also an excellent display of how proper security prevents crime. If you want to secure your property and you are looking for locksmiths in East London, AFS Security Systems can help to put your mind at ease. For more information, contact us today by calling 0208 471 9000.
