Millennium Dome Diamond Heist Thwarted

ByABC News
November 7, 2000, 7:12 AM

L O N D O N, Nov. 8 -- It would have been the worlds biggest heist; a James Bond movie come alive.

A gang of highly organized thieves today mounted an operation to steal $500 million worth of diamonds displayed inside Londons landmark Millennium Dome.

A dozen diamonds, including the irreplaceable De Beers Millennium Star diamond, would have been the prize. De Beers said the flawless, pear-shaped Millennium Star is arguably the most perfect large diamond in the world and third largest ever discovered.

They had planned the raid down to the last detail. Or so they thought.

The hole in the plan was that Scotland Yard knew the raid was being planned and switched the diamonds for fakes just hours ahead of the raid.

Officers of Scotland Yards Flying Squad arrested 11 people involved in the foiled heist on Tuesday in a coordinated swoop that included a powerboat chase down the Thames River.

Acting on intelligence reports, police were waiting when the robbers used a large yellow excavator to smash their way into the vault that usually houses a dozen top quality stones - including the 203-carat Millennium Star.

Four people were arrested in the vault, two were captured as they tried to escape by powerboat along the nearby Thames and five others were arrested in raids across southeastern England, police said.

Worlds Biggest Heist

The thieves, disguised as workmen, drove the excavator past security guards shortly after the dome opened its doors for the day.

At the time of the incident, 64 visitors were inside the domes 20 acre canopy - although none of them were closer than 100 meters to the Millennium Jewels exhibit.

Hundreds more visitors were outside the dome canopy but inside the domes gates.

As they entered the building, they donned gas masks and unleashed smoke bombs.

Police disguised as cleaners were positioned around the inside of the dome and as the robbers went into the vaults they effectively imprisoned themselves and were ordered to come out at gunpoint by the officers, said Detective Superintendent Jon Shatford, who led the operation involving more than 100 officers.