Millennium Dome raid
Encyclopedia
On 7 November 2000, a criminal gang attempted to steal the flawless 203.04 carats (40.6 g) Millennium Star
diamond valued at over £200 million, from an exhibition at the Millennium Dome
in Greenwich
, London
.
The robbers had been under police surveillance before the heist. At first police were unsure of the exact location of the robbery, but after months of surveillance, they discovered that the intended target was the Millennium Dome. On the 7th of November the robbers, armed with smoke bombs, ammonia
, a sledge hammer and a nail gun, crashed through into the Dome with a stolen JCB
Excavator
, smashing through to the vault. The robbers planned to escape by speedboat on the River Thames
.
The police operation to catch the robbers was codenamed "Operation Magician". In command of the operation was Detective Superintendent Jon Shatford of the Metropolitan Police
. The operation involved around 200 officers including forty from the Specialist Firearms Command, CO19. They were briefed at dawn, some officers were positioned behind a dummy wall and others were dressed as cleaners and Dome employees with their firearms concealed. A further sixty armed Flying Squad
officers were stationed around the Thames, and 20 on the river itself to hamper any escape attempts. The jewels were replaced with worthless fakes the night before the raid, just in case the robbers succeeded. Five men were caught and sentenced on various robbery charges.
Sentences ranged from 4 to 18 years.
Millennium Star
The Millennium Star is a famous diamond owned by De Beers. At 203.04 carats , the world's second largest known top-color , internally and externally flawless, pear-shaped diamond....
diamond valued at over £200 million, from an exhibition at the Millennium Dome
Millennium Dome
The Millennium Dome, colloquially referred to simply as The Dome or even The O2 Arena, is the original name of a large dome-shaped building, originally used to house the Millennium Experience, a major exhibition celebrating the beginning of the third millennium...
in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
The robbers had been under police surveillance before the heist. At first police were unsure of the exact location of the robbery, but after months of surveillance, they discovered that the intended target was the Millennium Dome. On the 7th of November the robbers, armed with smoke bombs, ammonia
Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . It is a colourless gas with a characteristic pungent odour. Ammonia contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, either directly or...
, a sledge hammer and a nail gun, crashed through into the Dome with a stolen JCB
J. C. Bamford
JCB is a global construction, demolition and agricultural equipment company headquartered in Rocester, United Kingdom. It is the world's third-largest construction equipment manufacturer. It produces over 300 types of machines, including diggers , excavators, tractors and diesel engines...
Excavator
Excavator
Excavators are heavy construction equipment consisting of a boom, stick, bucket and cab on a rotating platform . The house sits atop an undercarriage with tracks or wheels. A cable-operated excavator uses winches and steel ropes to accomplish the movements. They are a natural progression from the...
, smashing through to the vault. The robbers planned to escape by speedboat on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
.
The police operation to catch the robbers was codenamed "Operation Magician". In command of the operation was Detective Superintendent Jon Shatford of the Metropolitan Police
Metropolitan Police Service
The Metropolitan Police Service is the territorial police force responsible for Greater London, excluding the "square mile" of the City of London which is the responsibility of the City of London Police...
. The operation involved around 200 officers including forty from the Specialist Firearms Command, CO19. They were briefed at dawn, some officers were positioned behind a dummy wall and others were dressed as cleaners and Dome employees with their firearms concealed. A further sixty armed Flying Squad
Flying Squad
The Flying Squad is a branch of the Specialist Crime Directorate, within London's Metropolitan Police Service. The Squad's purpose is to investigate commercial armed robberies, along with the prevention and investigation of other serious armed crime...
officers were stationed around the Thames, and 20 on the river itself to hamper any escape attempts. The jewels were replaced with worthless fakes the night before the raid, just in case the robbers succeeded. Five men were caught and sentenced on various robbery charges.
Sentences ranged from 4 to 18 years.