Watch an exclusive clip from Netflix’s ‘The Diamond Heist’ as ringleader tells us about infamous Millennium Dome raid

As Netflix gear up to release The Diamond Heist, Rolling Stone UK can share an exclusive clip from the upcoming series, as well as our chat with the man behind the infamous raid on the Millennium Dome.

The anticipated new docu-series is produced by Guy Ritchie and traces the story of Lee Wenham, the career-criminal who led an attempt to make away with over £350 million worth of jewels when the Millenium Star diamond – worth over $100 million – was put on display at the Millennium Dome in 2000.

One of the key parts of the heist, as our exclusive clip reveals, was the timing of it all. The gang realised that security would be too tight overnight at the South London venue, leading them to undertake an audacious ram-raid of the De Beers exhibition on one fateful day in November 2000.

Speaking to Rolling Stone UK, Wenham – who is now a successful landscape gardener – admitted that he was initially dubious about taking part in the new project. He was won round when Netflix explained that the show would take on the skewered, subtly comic approach that Guy Ritchie projects are well known for.

The show is also framed in a way that sees Wenham revisiting his past too, complete with moments where he is seen recreating the planning of the heist in a barn.

“It feels like a Guy Ritchie project and not just one of these other documentaries that are deadly serious, showing that armed robbers are bad and that the police are bad. That drew me to it,” he explained.

In the show, we also see the suspicions of police beginning to increase after Wenham makes multiple trips to the dome before the heist. This, he claims, was part of a desire to keep the public from harm.

“I’ve got to make this point, the reason why we went to the dome so many times was because we wanted to know the safest time,” he says.

“We did not want to hurt anybody. Through my whole experience of doing this sort of thing I’ve always put people’s safety first. I know it sounds stupid, but the last thing you want to do is hurt anybody.”

Wenham eventually served five years for his role in the heist, but has remained out of jail ever since after reflecting the toll that his crimes had on his young family. He now runs his own landscaping firm and says he’s only been recognised for his past once in the last twenty years. That issue, he explains, was quickly sorted when he denied that it was him. “I said it wasn’t me, but I reckon they’re gonna see it now!” Wenham jokes.

And in a twist of fate, he’s even returned to the scene of the crime under very different circumstances.

“I went to see Bryan Adams at The O2 with my partner a few years ago,” he reflects.

“And walking up to the main doors was, well, I had to take a step back, you know. I found myself taking in the place all over again.”

The Diamond Heist arrives on Netflix on April 16.