Pod Insights British Scandal The Millennium Dome Heist | Diamond Geezers | 1 About this episode When a flawless £350 million diamond goes on display at London's Millennium Dome, small-time gangster Ray Betson spots the opportunity of a lifetime. To pull off Britain's biggest robbery, he'll need more than luck – he needs a crew of criminal masterminds. Enter Terry Millman, an armed robber with years of experience, and Lee Wenham, a creative young thief with big ambitions.
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Transcript Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
0:00 Alice Levine? Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of British Scandal ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.
0:12 Matt Forde? Alice, have you done the research for this week's story? Because obviously it's set in the year 2000.
0:17 Alice Levine? Oh, so, yes and no. Started it, yeah, did like probably loads of it. And then I've been so ill. Oh, my God, I've been puking and I've been doing the other one. And cramps and sweating awful, it's been awful.
0:33 Matt Forde? Oh, this is terrible, Alice, I'm so sorry.
0:36 Alice Levine? Yeah, it must be something that's going around that's like a thing and like everyone's catching it. And I have just got it bad.
0:41 Matt Forde? Where do you think you got it?
0:43 Alice Levine? I think it's just the millennium bug.
0:45 Matt Forde? I think you may not have done the research. I think you've just read the title of the book we were given.
0:49 Alice Levine? Oh, that's not true. Why 2K would you say that?
0:52 Matt Forde? Alice, I can't keep doing this.
0:56 Alice Levine? It's a bad one, Matt.
1:00 Alice Levine? 8.30 AM, 6th of November, the year 2000, North Greenwich, London.
1:06 Matt Forde? My 18th birthday.
1:08 Alice Levine? Was it?
1:09 Matt Forde? This very day.
1:10 Alice Levine? What did you do?
1:11 Matt Forde? I was in North Greenwich in London.
1:18 Alice Levine? Ray Betson pulls frantically at the gear stick, trying to find second. The JCB's engine splutters and conks out. Fuck's sake! Ray feels himself reddened. He can barely see with this gas mask strapped to his head. He's stalled in the middle lane of the A102, London's busiest road. All around him, horns blare and cars slam on their brakes. He takes a breath, restarts the engine, eases his foot on the accelerator when a black cab undercuts him from the left lane. Shouldn't be driving that thing on air, prick! Ray swerves to avoid him.
2:00 Alice Levine? Ray keeps his eyes fixed on the central London skyline emerging in front of him. His stomach knots as he sees it, like a giant white blister on the edge of the Docklands. The engine roars in his ears as the JCB picks up speed and lurches towards their target: The Millennium Dome.
2:21 Alice Levine? Home to the Millennium Star Diamond. Two hundred and three carats, worth three hundred and fifty million pounds. In less than an hour, that diamond will be his.
2:35 Matt Forde? Surely, the JCB is not the getaway vehicle? Maybe he thinks they won't suspect someone in a low-speed vehicle?
2:42 Alice Levine? I wouldn't.
2:43 Matt Forde? It's either this or the milk float.
2:49 Alice Levine? He edges off the main road and onto the recently laid tarmac leading to the dome's entrance. He stares up at the building's twelve yellow masts sticking a hundred metres into the air.
3:01 Alice Levine? Fixes his eyes on the giant padlocked gate blocking his path.
3:06 Alice Levine? He knows there'll be no going back once he punctures this gate. He'll be wanted for Britain's biggest ever robbery. He slams his foot hard on the gas. The JCB surges forward, exhaust fumes fill the cab. He coughs, tries to pick up enough speed, twenty miles an hour, thirty, forty. Ray shuts his eyes.
3:34 Alice Levine? The JCB slams into the gate. The steel gateposts twist and crumple, the padlock clangs onto the concrete. The JCB glides cleanly through. Fucking yes! Ray feels his shoulders loosen. The diamond is in touching distance. But as he rounds the corner, his heart sinks. Between him and the dome's main concourse is a reinforced aluminium shutter.
4:09 Alice Levine? I'm not sure what he expected for it to just be on a velvet pillow.
4:12 Matt Forde? He must have anticipated that there would be more than a gate between him and the world's most expensive diamond.
4:18 Alice Levine? Do you just think it would be parked in the car park?
4:21 Alice Levine? Ray's mouth feels dry. He pauses. He has no idea if the JCB will be powerful enough to make it through. He checks himself, tightens the gas mask around his face, then slams his foot onto the accelerator.
4:41 Alice Levine? He strikes the shutter with all the force the JCB can muster. A clanging fills his ears. Shards of metal shatter the JCB's windscreen and cut Ray's face. Under his mask, blood starts to pour from his nose. He emits a guttural roar as the shutter starts to loosen. Fucking have it! And then his voice falters as he glimpses a flash of startling blue. The hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as he hears it. A long, low whine.
5:18 Alice Levine? And he realizes what's about to happen. Because the noise is the unmistakable screech of the police sirens.
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6:21 Alice Levine? From Wondery, I'm Alice Levine.
6:23 Matt Forde? And I'm Matt Ford.
6:24 Alice Levine? And this is British Scandal, the show where we bring you the murkier stories that ever happened on these odd little isles.
6:31 Matt Forde? British scandals come in many shapes and sizes. Some are about money, some are about sex, they're all about power.
6:38 Alice Levine? But when we look at scandals a bit closer, they turn out to be stranger, wilder, just plain weirder than we remember.
6:45 Matt Forde? So we're journeying back to ask who's to blame for what happened.
6:49 Alice Levine? And when the dust settled, did anything really change?
7:02 Alice Levine? Matthew, hello. I am taking you down memory lane today courtesy of some brilliant listener suggestions. Thank you Louise Goring, Charlotte Roberts and countless others, you know who you are. [email protected] if you have a scandal that you would like us to cover. Now, Matt, what are your memories of the millennium?
7:21 Matt Forde? Wow, so many. Oasis in their pomp, the Premier League at its zenith, Tony Blair on top of the world.
7:29 Alice Levine? Okay, so that question might as well have been, what are you thinking about today?
7:33 Matt Forde? Yes, very little has changed in my life. I'm a simple but happy man.
7:38 Alice Levine? But actually, Tony Blair does have a lot to do with this story because what does Tony Blair, plus the millennium, say to you?
7:44 Matt Forde? Independence of the Bank of England, the minimum wage, peace in Northern Ireland.
7:49 Alice Levine? And the Millennium Dome?
7:51 Matt Forde? Yes, what better way to celebrate the millennium than a government invented nipple? Some people were cynical about it. They said it was boring, they said it was a waste of money. They may have had a point, but thank God that a mobile telecommunications giant took it over and allowed it to live its legacy as now the greatest music venue on the planet.
8:15 Alice Levine? I've actually never heard you more impassioned. What a beautiful, moving monologue.
8:20 Matt Forde? I just love corporate takeovers of state assets. It's what inspires me.
8:25 Alice Levine? If you've said it once, you've said it a thousand times. Some people, and I don't think I'm speaking out of school... We'll remember it as being a bit shit, but what you maybe don't know is that it was at the centre of one of the most audacious heists in British history.
8:39 Matt Forde? I love a high story and we've done so many on this show. Brinksmat, Hatton Garden, the Great Train Robbery.
8:45 Alice Levine? Yes, if this had gone to plan, if they'd pulled it off, this would have been worth 12 Great Train Robberies and 13 Brinksmats. At the centre of this story is a beautiful, glistening diamond that lived in the heart of the Millennium Dome and a group of South London robbers got their eyes on it, which means two things. One is some off the peg London accents from the British Scandal vault and two, a lot of fun.
9:12 Matt Forde? But you said if they pulled it off.
9:14 Alice Levine? Well spotted. Strap in Matthew, we are about to blow the bloody doors off. This is episode one, Diamond Geezers.
9:23 Alice Levine? 11 months earlier, 11:59pm, 31st of December, 1999, Chatham, Kent. The dawn of a new millennium, Matt, do you remember where you were?
9:35 Matt Forde? I was 17, I was in Nottingham's Market Square. I want to make this point clear, society was different back then.
9:42 Alice Levine? Oh God, what's about to happen?
9:44 Matt Forde? I was drunk, I was a drunk teenager in town.
9:47 Alice Levine? A lout.
9:49 Matt Forde? Yes, but I would say a pleasant one.
9:52 Alice Levine? Right.
9:53 Matt Forde? I had a Union Jack like hat.
9:56 Alice Levine? Oh wow.
9:56 Matt Forde? They were just handing this stuff out and I remember there being an Ali G impersonator in town on one of like the plinths.
10:04 Alice Levine? Oh my God.
10:06 Matt Forde? I don't know what was going on, but I ended up in a nightclub and really no New Year's Eve was the same after that because it was such a big deal.
10:13 Alice Levine? It was huge. I also love that Nottingham pulled out all the stops. They were like, right, we're going to give out some Union Jack hats and I'm serious, we're using the budget on the Ali G impersonator. Let's go, go, go guys, this has got to be big.
10:24 Matt Forde? So where were you?
10:25 Alice Levine? I've just done the maths, I thought I was much younger than this because I was definitely in my mum and dad's garden, playing with cousins and pals. And in my mind, I was like eight, but I was 14. I remember thinking, this is the latest I've ever stayed on. I was 14 years old.
10:43 Matt Forde? And did they let you have a baby sham or some book's fizz?
10:46 Alice Levine? Do you know what? Maybe we had a smirnoff ice.
10:48 Matt Forde? Oh, delicious.
10:50 Alice Levine? Or, you know, one of the other Alcopops. I mean, what's the statute of limitations on my parents letting me have an Alcopop when I was 14? Can they still go down for it?
10:58 Matt Forde? They should.
10:59 Alice Levine? They should, if justice means anything.
11:04 Alice Levine? Ray Betson feels hands slap his back as his in-laws cluster for the countdown. He tries to join in, summoning a smile across his grey, drawn face. He's hosting his partner Susan's family for New Year's Eve. The party cost a fortune, and he's determined to enjoy it. Five, four, three, two, one, go!
11:32 Alice Levine? Fireworks explode outside as the room erupts into cheering and laughter. He searches for Susan, catches sight of her in a designer halter net, showing her mum around their open-plan kitchen.
11:47 Alice Levine? Her voice carries over the music blaring from his new state-of-the-art hi-fi.
11:53 Alice Levine? But we're ripping all this out, isn't that right, Ray? I want a peninsula. Ray feels a knot of anxiety. He edges over. Better hope the millennium bug strikes before my wallet takes the hit.
12:07 Matt Forde? The millennium bug. People were absolutely convinced that when we switched to the year 2000, every computer in the world was just going to freeze, because it had only been done in the final two digits of each year. And they thought going from 99 to 00 would just paralyze banking systems, airline bookings, and then nothing happened.
12:28 Alice Levine? I mean, people were bulk buying things because they were worried that supermarkets would just sort of stop functioning because all of their ordering and everything was done on computers. People thought that planes would fall out of the sky and then just ding. Oh no, normal.
12:43 Matt Forde? Oh yeah. Turns out it was a fuss over nothing. Sorry for wasting billions.
12:48 Alice Levine? What's a millennium bug got to do with your wallet?
12:52 Alice Levine? Ray stutters. He's from a single-parent family in southeast London, and he's a proudly self-made man. But his cigarette smuggling operation's just been busted, losing him thirty-two thousand pounds, and he hasn't told Susan yet. Ray looks around him, at his lovely new house in Kent, his Jag on the driveway, and knows that if he doesn't find some other source of income soon, he risks losing it all.
13:21 Alice Levine? He turns to grab a drink when he's shoved sideways. Beer splatters on his new suede boots.
13:27 Speaker 04 Fuck's sake!
13:29 Alice Levine? Ray's brother-in-law, Michael, struggles to keep his balance.
13:33 Speaker 04 Sorry, mate.
13:35 Alice Levine? Ray stifles a groan. He can't stand Michael, squatted with a gormless, punchable face. And worst of all, he's a copper.
13:45 Speaker 04 Happy fucking new year!
13:48 Alice Levine? Michael's so drunk he can hardly walk. Trying not to roll his eyes, Ray leads him over to their three-piece leather suite. In the corner, Tony Blair fills the sixty-five-inch flatscreen TV, singing "Old Lang Syne" with the Queen at the newly-opened Millennium Dome.
14:06 Speaker 04 You know, that dome costs nearly eight hundred million quid. Talk about a waste of fucking taxpayers' money.
14:15 Alice Levine? Ray manages a disinterested "Hmm", as he takes in Blair's grinning face.
14:20 Speaker 04 And I'm gonna have to be there. All day, every day.
14:26 Alice Levine? Michael makes no sense sober, never mind drunk. What are you on about?
14:32 Speaker 04 I got a job there, didn't I?
14:34 Alice Levine? You? What do they want with a detective at the dome?
14:38 Speaker 04 I'm not a detective no more. Methev demoted me.
14:43 Alice Levine? Ray's eyes widen.
14:45 Speaker 04 One minute I'm on homicides, right? Next... Hanging about, telling schoolkids not to bang on the glass. Guarding some fucking diamond.
14:57 Alice Levine? Ray fixes him with a look. Diamond?
15:01 Speaker 04 Yeah, they've even called it the fucking millennium star. Owned by some South African mining fuck. Worth half the value of the entire dome.
15:13 Alice Levine? Ray's eyes widen. Half the value of the entire Millennium Dome? That's over 300 million pounds.
15:24 Speaker 04 Honestly, though, security's a joke. We're understaffed and...
15:32 Alice Levine? Ray feels himself sink back into his couch as the footage of Blair cuts to the wide shot of the dome. A glowing orb surrounded by the blackness of the Thames. He leans forward, pours Michael a bourbon. Drink this, Mike, and tell me more about this diamond.
15:58 Alice Levine? Two days later, Millennium Dome, London. Ray stares at the young, pock-faced ticket seller blankly. Fifty-seven quid for one family? You're having a laugh. Susan hisses in his ear. Shut up, Ray. You're embarrassing us. Ray swallows, reminds himself why he's here. He's not been able to stop thinking about the diamond since the party. He reluctantly empties his wallet and takes his ticket. Half an hour later, Ray and his family are stuck at the back of another queue. God's sake.
16:36 Matt Forde? It's hard to imagine now when the O2 is effectively the pinnacle of global culture and food, but back then, it looked terrible. I had no desire to go and visit it.
16:46 Speaker 04 There just wasn't much in it, was there?
16:48 Matt Forde? What was the guy's name? Pierre-Yves Jebo. Do you remember him? The French guy brought in to save the dome.
16:53 Speaker 04 Incredible knowledge. That is such Matt Ford knowledge.
16:56 Matt Forde? Basically, it was Heseltine's big thing. Labour come in, and Mandelson's put in charge of it. And then there's a whole tabloid uproar that this thing's actually going to go ahead. And it was one of the few things along with the fuel protest that put a bit of pressure on Blair in his first term. And then it wasn't going well, so they're bringing this French bloke and he became a tabloid hate figure.
17:15 Alice Levine? It's actually really mad to think now that there was such anti-dome sentiment when, in fact, it's one of the only large-scale projects that sort of has paid its way.
17:24 Matt Forde? It has, Alice. What you're saying is Blair was right then, and he's right now.
17:31 Alice Levine? Ray looks up. Acrobats hang from the cavernous big top, contorting themselves around aerial hoops. A person in a garish blue and yellow bird costume waves at him. He feels a drag on his arm. His son presses his small head into his thigh. Dad, I'm bored. Ray grits his teeth as the queue crawls slowly forward and the family enter what looks like a giant human body. They travel through bright red corridors of blood vessels. Ray's son screams as a giant pulsating heart comes into view. Susan rolls her eyes. I told you we should have gone to Legoland.
18:14 Alice Levine? Finally, Ray spots the sign he's been searching for. The money zone. He ushers his family through the entrance as a screen flashes up facts about the world of finance. The money zone's glass floor and ceilings are lined with notes. A sign tells him they add up to a million pounds. It's about what we paid to get in here. But behind the sarcasm, Ray's starting to feel a nervous excitement. He's light, giddy. Blue neon letters spell out the words, "The Millennium Jewels." He bounds over and then stops himself. He'd expected the diamond to be on display in the middle of the room.
18:56 Alice Levine? Instead, it's in a hulking stainless steel vault, armoured like a tank. He looks up and sees four CCTV cameras aimed straight at the entrance. This security system is state of the art. All the energy drains from his body as he feels Susan approach him from behind.
19:16 Speaker 04 Christ, Suze, can I just have one minute without the kids?
19:21 Alice Levine? But as he whirls around, it's not Susan. Instead, Michael peers at him in his police uniform, his jowly face squashed into a confused expression.
19:32 Speaker 04 Ray, what are you doing here?
19:34 Alice Levine? Ray pulls one of the kids close to him, tousles his hair.
19:38 Speaker 04 We thought we'd come see Uncle Mike at work, didn't we?
19:41 Alice Levine? He sees Michael beam. Ray's stomach twists with annoyance.
19:46 Speaker 04 Anyway, we'd best be off. Promise the kids an happy meal.
19:50 Alice Levine? But Michael shakes his head. Don't you want to come see the diamond? He lets Michael lead him through the throng of American tourists into the vault. He feels the sound of the money zone quieten as he steps deeper inside the low-lit space. And as he pushes his way to the front, Ray's mouth drops open. There it is, the Millennium Star, clear as glass, practically glowing under the hot exhibition lights. He feels himself move towards it, mesmerized. He places a hand on the protective glass. Maybe there is a way. His mind races.
20:34 Alice Levine? He knows it's a madcap idea, but perhaps that's to his advantage, the element of surprise. He knows he can't do it alone, though. But he thinks he knows just the man to call.
20:55 Alice Levine? The next day, Mans's Pie and Mash Shop, South London.
21:00 Alice Levine? Matt, I feel like you would be a fan of pie and mash.
21:04 Matt Forde? I am a massive fan of pie and mash. And I've been to various pie and mash shops in South East London, but not this one. Have you ever had it?
21:10 Alice Levine? Yes, in my meat eating days, definitely. And actually, when I came to London, it's one of those slightly touristy things that you want to do, isn't it? For international listeners, not actually many of them left. They're a dying breed, aren't they?
21:22 Matt Forde? Yeah, and you get a pie or two pies, some scoops of mashed potato, either gravy or an odd sauce called liquor.
21:30 Alice Levine? Now, this I don't approve of. It sort of looks like wallpaper paste with flecks of green in and tastes of nothing.
21:36 Matt Forde? Yes, all the best British food does. It's bland food with bland condiments, and we love it.
21:43 Alice Levine? And fun fact, the pies used to be eel pies and they used to get those eels from the River Thames. Don't think about that too long, quite, quite gross. Terry Millman throws his head back, spitting flecks of pastry across the rundown pie and mash shop. God, it feels good to laugh.
22:01 Speaker 04 No word of a lie. The police goes to Cheryl, they say, can you describe your husband? She says he's tall, dark, handsome, great with the kids.
22:12 Alice Levine? He pauses mid-story, catching his reflection in the mirror walls. He used to be a thick-set hard man, served 14 years for armed robbery. These days, his skin is pale and his mottled hands are peppered with needle marks from his latest round of chemotherapy. He sighs. He just wants to enjoy what he has left, spending time with his family and catching up with old mates like Ray.
22:39 Speaker 04 Sorry, where was I? Yeah, the police say that's not the description we have of him. And Cheryl, she says.
22:46 Alice Levine? Ray cuts in grinning.
22:48 Speaker 04 Well, if you find that bloke, can you send him here? Number of times I've heard that cock and bull story, Terry. It's true, on my life.
22:58 Alice Levine? Terry breaks off, coughing. A concerned look crosses Ray's face. Terry bats away the glass of water Ray offers, and instead sips a flask of rum from his coat pocket.
23:09 Speaker 04 Self-medicating.
23:11 Alice Levine? Terry croaks, enjoying the burn at the back of his throat. He places his palms on the table, tries to haul himself to his feet.
23:20 Speaker 04 This has been great, mate, really.
23:23 Alice Levine? Hang about, I wanna talk to you about something.
23:25 Speaker 04 Mrs. Finally's seen some sense and left you, has she? Talk about punching above your weight.
23:32 Alice Levine? He thinks he sees unease cloud Ray's face.
23:36 Speaker 04 Christ, don't you joke, mate.
23:38 Alice Levine? It's nothing like that. I've got a job. Terry stares at Ray in disbelief. Then he laughs, gesturing to his own spindly frame.
23:50 Speaker 04 Job? I can barely get up the bleeding stairs, Ray.
23:54 Alice Levine? Terry is big.
23:56 Speaker 04 Oh, yeah? What's your idea of big, Ray? Flogging tax-free cigs and booze for a few thousand?
24:03 Alice Levine? Try 350 mil.
24:09 Matt Forde? That's how much we send to the EU every week. We could spend that on the NHS instead.
24:14 Speaker 04 I think you should write that on the side of a bus, mate.
24:17 Alice Levine? Terry's eyes widen. He feels a glimmer of his old self returning.
24:22 Speaker 04 350 mil? But that'd be...
24:27 Alice Levine? Ray leans forward, flashing a bright, white smile. Biggest robbery in British history. You'll get yourself in the history books, and it'd set Cheryl and the girls up for life. Terry's surprised to see Ray lean across and touch his arm, just for a second. Look, I know you ain't been well, but I need a mate I can trust on this. Someone experienced, who knows his way around a blag this big. And, well, you're older than a son, so... Terry laughs. He fumbles in his pocket for his flask, his mind flooded with thoughts of his wife, his daughters, his legacy. He's not sure his body can take it,
25:11 Alice Levine? but before he can talk himself out of it, the words are spilling out of his mouth.
25:16 Speaker 04 One last job, can't it? Can it?
25:26 Alice Levine? One week later, Romford Greyhound Stadium, London.
25:31 Alice Levine? Ray watches as six greyhounds are loaded into the starting boxes. He taps a wooden post three times for luck. He's just bet £200 on the outside favourite, Lucky Star, and he badly needs his gamble to pay off. At home, his bedside table is crammed with angry final demands.
25:50 Matt Forde? Couldn't you have used the £200?
25:53 Alice Levine? Wow, if only life was so simple, Matt.
25:55 Matt Forde? Well, I'm just saying that if you've got money and you've got bills that are overdue, maybe use some of that money to pay the overdue bills.
26:03 Alice Levine? Or at Martin Lewis.
26:08 Alice Levine? Terry shuffles slowly towards him, two pints in his hands. Ray takes him in. His shoulders are sloped and his face is pallid. He doesn't look like a man with the strength to carry two beers, let alone break into a state-of-the-art vault.
26:23 Alice Levine? He takes a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket while Terry struggles to his seat. He's sketched a rough plan of the dome and he needs Terry's take.
26:32 Speaker 04 Jesus, you're no artist, are you?
26:35 Alice Levine? Ray leans in, keeping his voice low, brushing off Terry's snipe. If we grease one of the security guards, bribe him, get him to let us into the dome, I might have a man.
26:48 Speaker 04 How are you gonna do that? Flirt with him?
26:53 Alice Levine? Ray ignores him again. Then we go to the money zone. Get our man to tell us the code to the vault itself.
27:02 Alice Levine? But Terry immediately cuts him off.
27:04 Speaker 04 Sophisticated gaff like that. They won't know the full code. One team will know half, the other will know the other half. Otherwise, any old twat could make off with that diamond.
27:17 Alice Levine? Ray leans back in his seat. He knows he brought Terry in for exactly this kind of information, but he can't help bristle at Terry's condescending tone.
27:27 Speaker 04 All right, you're such a clever bastard. How would you do it?
27:31 Alice Levine? Terry scrunches up Ray's sketch and grins.
27:34 Speaker 04 CCTV's gonna trigger the old bill the second you get in that vault. There are four cameras, so I'd say you've got two minutes tops to get in and out.
27:44 Alice Levine? Ray looks at him in confusion.
27:46 Speaker 04 You've been down, alone, to the vault? And that glass is reinforced. It would take a maniac with a pickaxe thirty minutes to crack it. So you're gonna have to figure out how to weaken it.
28:00 Alice Levine? Ray smiles. He shouldn't have underestimated Terry.
28:04 Speaker 04 Nah, security.
28:06 Alice Levine? Terry mimics a gun with his thumb and forefinger, planting it lightly on Ray's chest.
28:11 Speaker 04 I find people tend to do what you tell them when you're waving a shooter.
28:16 Alice Levine? Ray recoils.
28:18 Speaker 04 No, Terry.
28:19 Alice Levine? There's a throaty laugh from Terry.
28:21 Speaker 04 Don't shit your pants. I've done it loads of times. You've also done fourteen years for armed fucking robbery.
28:32 Alice Levine? Ray sighs. His gaze is pulled back to the track. He rises to his feet, jaw tight, shoulders locked, as the dogs turn onto the home stretch. He smells Terry's beer-soaked breath as he leans in.
28:47 Matt Forde? I love that smell.
28:49 Alice Levine? Do you actually?
28:50 Matt Forde? I love the smell. This is so bad. But you know when people say, oh, sorry, I've got garlic breath? I'm like, I like it.
28:55 Alice Levine? You like second-hand garlic?
28:57 Matt Forde? Yeah, I like the smell of someone who's had a good meal or a couple of drinks. I'm like, oh, it's such a nice, warm smell. When you smell whiskey or beer on someone's breath, I think, oh, you've had a good time.
29:08 Alice Levine? It's a hard no from me.
29:10 Matt Forde? Okay, I'm gonna start brushing my teeth.
29:13 Alice Levine? Terry rolls his eyes.
29:16 Speaker 04 I thought he might say that. So I've got one more option for you.
29:22 Alice Levine? He hands Ray a small scrap of paper. A phone number's been scribbled in viro. Ray feels a chill as he reads the name on the note.
29:32 Speaker 04 Wenham.
29:33 Alice Levine? He knows James Wenham. Everyone in the Kent area does. He's a notorious gangster, a madman.
29:42 Alice Levine? He's about to tell Terry no, but at that moment, Lucky Star crosses the finish line. Third to last. Ray emits a groan.
29:51 Speaker 04 I don't know, Terry. I've met James Wenham.
29:54 Alice Levine? But Terry snaps back.
29:56 Speaker 04 This isn't James. He's his son, Lee. He's got ideas, thinks out of the box.
30:04 Alice Levine? Ray thumbs the paper in his hand. He knows he needs solutions. And if Terry's right, perhaps Lee is his ticket to getting his hands on that diamond.
30:17 Alice Levine? He looks at Ray, nods. But I'll warn you, he's a bit of a live wire.
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31:03 Speaker 06 Hey, what's up, guys? It's Haley Bailey. OK, I need to tell you about something. I just got YouTube Premium. It's got tons of awesome features like offline downloads, so I can download my favorite videos before I travel and watch them whenever I don't have Wi-Fi. Because we all know airplane Wi-Fi is the worst. I get ad-free, I get background play, and there's like a ton more in there. You should try it. If you like YouTube, you'll love YouTube Premium. So try YouTube Premium for two months free at youtube.com/premium. Trial eligibility varies. Terms apply. Cancel anytime. That's a mouthful.
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32:10 Alice Levine? February 2000, Nine Elms Lane, Battersea, London. Lee Wenham snorts a bump of Coke to calm his nerves. He stares out of the windscreen of his truck, waiting. Finally, the slate gray security van rounds the corner. His chest leaps. It's time. Lee's desperate to make a name for himself, prove to his old man that he's got what it takes to keep the family legacy alive. Until today, he's only pulled off small fry jobs: stolen farm machinery, cash points. But he's about to steal £10 million from this Securicor security van.
32:51 Alice Levine? And finally, he'll get the recognition he's been craving from his dad his whole life.
32:58 Matt Forde? I never knew they carried that level of value.
33:01 Alice Levine? They claim that they don't keep any money on board at all.
33:04 Matt Forde? They say that, and then they come out wearing, like, full body armor. There can't just be spoons in there.
33:11 Alice Levine? He does one more bump of Coke before he reaches into the seat next to him. Lee grabs two IED devices, jumps out of his truck. He can't hide his grin as he slaps them dramatically on the windshield of the security van.
33:32 Alice Levine? His grin widens as the security guards turn white and slowly raise their arms. Lee chuckles. The IEDs won't blow. They're actually Fray-Bentos pies he bought on his weekly shop with the misses. He's spray painted them grey and covered them with LED lights. Lee is very into his crafts. What a lovely little display of creativity there.
33:56 Matt Forde? This is it. You know, had he grown up in different circumstances, he could have been an award winning artist. Also, for international listeners, Fray-Bentos pies are the pinnacle of British food. It's a big round tin, like a fat discus, and you open it with a tin opener, stick it in the oven, and then magically, the greatest pie of all time cooks over about 30 minutes.
34:23 Alice Levine? Am I right in thinking that they sort of don't have a sell by date or a consume by date? Because you could probably take them into a nuclear bunker, couldn't you? They survive everything.
34:33 Matt Forde? Exactly. And if you eat them, so will you.
34:38 Alice Levine? All around him horns blare as the traffic is brought to a standstill by the trapped security van. He races to his truck.
34:47 Alice Levine? Heaves a number of old Christmas trees from the back to reveal a giant metal spike underneath, welded to his truck. All Lee has to do now is reverse the metal spike into the back doors of the security van. It'll open like a tin can, and all the money inside will be his.
35:07 Alice Levine? But as he goes to start the engine, he can't. There's no key. He checks his pockets, the seat, the footwell. He panics, then stares out the window. He can't believe it. Some mug in a cheap suit is sat in the driving seat of a Ford Mondeo, furiously jangling Lee's keys, taunting him.
35:31 Matt Forde? Hang on, some bloke has just intervened and nicked his keys?
35:36 Alice Levine? Yeah, so this is some random guy who's trying to get to work, is really pissed off that he's going to be late, but then sort of turns into a good Samaritan and is like, no, actually, I'm going to foil this because something's afoot and I'm not going to let it happen on my watch.
35:48 Matt Forde? His colleagues are never going to believe him. Late again. Yeah, this time, I really did foil a robbery.
35:54 Alice Levine? Why have I never used that one?
36:00 Alice Levine? Fucking twat! He's not going to let the operation go down the Kazi because this geezer's annoyed about being late for work. He's about to jump out of the truck, chase the man down, but he spots a glimmer of blue light on the horizon. His eyes dart between the stranded Securacor security van and the spike on his truck, ten metres away. Fuck! He tears down the gridlocked street towards the towpath to the Thames, ducks into the side alley. This was his one chance to impress his dad, and instead, he's turned himself into a laughing stock. He hurls himself over the metal fence, races down to the river below, and into his getaway speedboat.
36:42 Alice Levine? He revs the engine and feels the spray of the Thames hit his face. He's going to have to find a new way to win his old man's approval.
36:57 Alice Levine? Three weeks later, Tong Farm, Kent. Ray Betson glances again at the address in his notebook. He's sure this is the right place, but as he picks his way through the broken vehicles and rusting farm machinery, he's starting to wonder if this Ramshackle Farm is really where Lee Wenham lives.
37:19 Alice Levine? A lone hammer clangs in one of the nearby barns. He edges over to the outhouse, peers inside to see a fresh-faced young man with a shaved head lying prostrate under an old Ford Capri.
37:33 Speaker 04 Wenham? How the fuck did you get in?
37:37 Alice Levine? Lee Wenham straightens up. Ray sees the tattoos tracing his knuckles and forearms, the hammer clenched in his fist.
37:45 Speaker 04 Ray Betson, knew your old man back in the day. Here you masterminded the Nine Elms job.
37:52 Alice Levine? Lee draws himself up to his full height.
37:55 Speaker 04 Here to take the piss, are ya? That plan was solid, all right. The metal spike, the speedboat. The Fraybentos IEDs was my favourite part.
38:04 Alice Levine? Ray cracks a smile. He knows all about Lee's desire to take over his old man's business, his need for approval.
38:13 Speaker 04 Taking a leaf out of your book myself. I've got a job that needs a little...
38:18 Alice Levine? He sees Lee give him a curious look.
38:21 Speaker 04 Ingenuity.
38:23 Alice Levine? Lee lowers his hammer.
38:25 Speaker 04 What do you know about reinforced glass?
38:28 Alice Levine? Lee shakes his head like a scolded kid.
38:31 Speaker 04 I'll tell you what, you come up with something, son, and you give me a call.
38:36 Alice Levine? Ray reaches into his pockets for a business card.
38:40 Alice Levine? A nail flies across the air, smashes the Capri's windscreen. He turns to see Lee wielding a nail gun, his blue eyes shining, crazed. Is this man unhinged?
38:52 Matt Forde? Yep.
38:52 Alice Levine? What the fuck was there? I just thought, powered by gunpowder these are, designed to fire into concrete, steel. If I can get through an inch of steel, it'll weaken any reinforced glass. Ray stares at him. It's ingenious. Simple, effective, direct. And an idea Ray would never have come up with. He turns back to Lee, who's already started to pull the nail gun apart. I can always increase the power if I tweak the piston. This kid is clearly brilliant. He just needs a bit of guidance. Guidance perhaps his old man never gave him.
39:29 Speaker 04 You ever been up to the Millennium Dome?
39:31 Alice Levine? Nah, heard it's neff. Why? He flashes Lee a casual grin.
39:37 Speaker 04 I reckon you and me should take a trip.
39:46 Alice Levine? June 2000, Millennium Dome, Greenwich, London. Lee twists the dial on his camcorder. He zooms in on Ray as he strolls through the dome's main concourse. He likes how people move out of the way for him. Everywhere he goes, Ray seems to command respect. He just wishes he knew why the two of them were there. Ray clocks the camcorder. Oi, piss off! Ray slams his hand over the lens. Lee chuckles and swings the camera round to take in the cavernous space. We're gonna rob them restaurants. Must have a few bob in them tills. Lee zooms in on the McDonald's and a yo sushi.
40:27 Alice Levine? He sees Ray roll his eyes, then stride into a dry-looking exhibit about the London Stock Exchange. I ain't here for a fucking maths lesson, Ray. But Ray edges him towards a giant silver structure, angular, like something out of Star Wars. He lowers the camera as Ray directs him through a turnstile into a dark room with a single spotlight falling in the middle. Lee leans forward and stares. Is that a... A massive fuck-off diamond? Lee searches Ray's face for the glimmer of a smirk. You're kidding, right? You want me to half-inch? Ray slams an elbow into his gut. Keep it down, will ya?
41:12 Alice Levine? He leans in closer to Lee. We pull this off, it'll be the biggest robbery in English history. Yeah, 'cause no one's tried anything so fucking stupid. Lee feels a crushing disappointment in his chest. He thought Ray was smart. Ray plants both hands on Lee's shoulders. I'm telling ya, we can do this. We already know how to break the glass, don't we? Thanks to you. Now you reckon you can come up with a way of us getting in without security stopping us?
41:47 Alice Levine? Lee hesitates. He can't afford to get involved in another disaster.
41:53 Alice Levine? Ray, he's mad! But Ray snaps back. Three hundred and fifty mil, that's how much it's worth. Your old man ever pulled off anything that big, it'll make him look like a small-timer.
42:08 Alice Levine? Ten minutes later, they're in the car park, looking up at a ten-metre... Perimeter fence, studded with security spikes. Ray is making notes. Just need to figure out how to get over this. Lee takes in their surroundings, the building sites along the riverfront beyond. Without thinking, he blurts out, "Or through it." Ray looks at him in confusion. Does that mean you're in? Lee looks around the docks. The place is full of cranes, trucks. You could practically drive into the dome without arousing suspicion. He swallows. He knows it's a long shot, but if he can pull this off, he'll be a legend. So he smiles, puts out his hand.
42:53 Alice Levine? All right, I'm in. Only thing we need now is a massive fucking J C B.
43:05 Alice Levine? Two days later, Kent. Ray snakes his belly along the damp, prickly undergrowth, trying to make it into the field unseen. He looks up to see Lee laughing at him. You wanna get lower, old man? Fuck's sake, keep it down. Ray hisses, gesturing to the dim glow of the nearby farmhouse. His back twinges, and I can't get any fucking lower. Lee has roped Ray into stealing a J C B, and he's wishing he was anywhere but here. Fucking brilliant. Ray mutters as it starts to rain. Right, there it is. Lee's voice cuts through the night air like a gunshot.
43:50 Alice Levine? In the distance, dogs start barking. Ray looks around, uneasy. I told you to keep quiet. But Lee's already getting to his feet. Hesitant, Ray starts to straighten up, but something catches his eye.
44:06 Alice Levine? He points anxiously towards a rundown caravan in the corner of the field.
44:10 Speaker 04 It's fine, it's got no lights on.
44:12 Alice Levine? We should check it. Ray's jaw tightens as Lee simply laughs.
44:18 Speaker 04 There's a massive great hole in the roof, you pussy. No one's gonna be living in that. It's a heap of junk.
44:23 Alice Levine? Instead, he tears across the field. Ray narrows his eyes.
44:28 Speaker 04 Fuck me.
44:30 Alice Levine? He follows Lee and finally spots a shiny, new-looking J C B, practically glowing yellow in the moonlight. Lee's racing towards it like a kid chasing an ice cream van. He watches as Lee produces a coat hanger and deftly jabs it in at the lock. Within seconds, the door clicks open. Ray can't help but be impressed. He sees Lee's face widen into a proud grin.
44:58 Speaker 04 Been nicking these since I was a teenager.
45:01 Alice Levine? Ray piles into the cab and takes a look at the dashboard. He's panicking at the look of its controls. A gunshot echoes across the field. A shiver rips through Ray's body. He turns to Lee.
45:15 Speaker 04 Fuck, fuck, fuck!
45:18 Alice Levine? Ray watches in horror as Lee's stubby hands struggle to hotwire the engine. Another gunshot. Ray dares a glance over his shoulder as an old man races out of the caravan, the barrel of his rifle aimed right at them, two dogs at his side.
45:36 Speaker 04 Come on!
45:37 Alice Levine? Ray is forced to watch as Lee fumbles with the controls. Until finally, the engine stutters into life and the digger starts to rumble forward. Ray's frantic mind quietens, but only for a split second. They're barely moving. He whirls around to Lee in the driver's seat.
45:58 Speaker 04 Can't it go any faster?
46:00 Alice Levine? Another gunshot, louder.
46:02 Speaker 04 Fuck's sake, Lee, the old bastard's nearly catching us. If we can't outrun him, how are we supposed to get past security guards?
46:10 Alice Levine? Lee's face reddens. Sweat pours from his brow as he swerves back out onto the country lane. He grinds through the gears, second, third, fourth, and they have enough speed to clear the farmer.
46:24 Speaker 04 I'll sort it, promise.
46:27 Alice Levine? But Ray's mouth is set into a hard line. Lee might have skills, but he's too impulsive, careless. If this job is going to be a success, Ray's going to have to remind him who's boss. And if Lee ever puts his life at risk again, Ray won't hesitate to cut him loose.
46:53 Speaker 05 If you like YouTube, you'll love YouTube Premium. It's destroying athlete, creator, and YouTube Maxer. YouTube Premium enhances how I use YouTube with awesome features like offline downloads, so I can download my favorite training videos before I hit the gym. So no Wi-Fi doesn't turn leg day into loading day. Plus, I get ad-free videos, background play, and so much more. YouTube Premium is like YouTube got some extra gains. Try YouTube Premium for two months free at youtube.com/premium.
47:23 Speaker 06 Hey, what's up, guys? It's Haley Bailey. Okay, I need to tell you about something. I just got YouTube Premium. It's got tons of awesome features like offline downloads, so I can download my favorite videos before I travel and watch them whenever I don't have Wi-Fi. Because we all know airplane Wi-Fi is the worst. I get ad-free, I get background play, and there's like a ton more in there. You should try it. If you like YouTube, you'll love YouTube Premium. So try YouTube Premium for two months free at youtube.com/premium. Trial eligibility varies. Terms apply. Cancel anytime. That's a mouthful.
47:53 Speaker 04 Hey, I'm Cassie DePecce. The host of Against the Odds from Audible Originals. In each episode, we share thrilling true stories of survival, putting you in the shoes of the people who lived to tell the tale. In our latest series, we track the story of Hugh Glass, the real-life revenant that inspired the 2015 film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. In 1823, Glass was brutally mauled by a grizzly bear in present-day South Dakota and left for dead. His survival depended on trekking through 350 miles of wilderness alone with grave injuries. But he was driven by his thirst for revenge. Follow Against the Odds wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Against the Odds early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
48:44 Alice Levine? June 2000, early evening, Ray's house, Chatham, Kent. Ray taps his spatula absentmindedly against the barbecue grill, his brow creased. He's spent two long weeks overseeing Lee as he adapts the JCB. And Ray is finally satisfied the digger has the speed and strength to smash the security gates leading directly into the dome. But the vault itself is designed to withstand the force of an armoured vehicle. Their digger wouldn't even put a dent in it. Terry's yet again mentioned guns, but Ray's shut him down. He's sure there must be another way. He glances across his neat lawn at all the family and friends celebrating his son's birthday.
49:29 Alice Levine? Children run in and out of sprinklers and career down the garish blue inflatable slide. He turns back towards the barbecue, catching his own reflection in the French windows. Heavy bags hang under his eyes and new lines crease his forehead. JCB parts have plunged him deeper into the hole. And with all his trips to Tong Farm, he's barely seen his kids. But he reminds himself he's doing this for them, for this, the life they have. Smoke begins to sting his eyes. Ray looks down, too late, at the cremated sausages lining the barbecue.
50:07 Matt Forde? Ray, you had one job. Look, I understand how people can censor a life of crime, but ruining a barbecue is heinous behaviour.
50:17 Alice Levine? Behind Ray, there's an awkward laugh. It's alright, I like them, well done. Ray feels a familiar jab of irritation. Michael stands next to him, cradling his sleeping daughter in one arm. He picks up the sausage packaging. Eminence, eh? Someone's doing well.
50:36 Speaker 04 We can't afford walls at ours these days.
50:39 Alice Levine? Ray struggles to summon a half convincing laugh.
50:42 Speaker 04 Uh, Susan's on drinks.
50:45 Alice Levine? Ray gestures to a trestle table at the other end of the patio, glances at Susan as she starts to try and round up the kids for bed. But Michael shakes his head laughing.
50:56 Speaker 04 Nah, I shouldn't really. I've got work in the morning.
50:59 Alice Levine? Ray's eyebrows raise. He flips the sausages onto a plate, trying to sound disinterested.
51:05 Speaker 04 Oh yeah, at the Dome.
51:08 Alice Levine? Michael rolls his eyes.
51:09 Speaker 04 On 8am till close, so just an appetizer for me.
51:14 Alice Levine? Ray glances across at the setting sun, and he starts to wonder if he's been thinking about this all wrong. He'd already imagined storming the Dome in the dead of night, but perhaps they don't need to find a way to even open the vault. Because for eight hours a day, security will do it for them. He bites into his hot dog, grinning, as an idea starts to form.
51:42 Alice Levine? A few days later, Tong Farm, Kent.
51:47 Alice Levine? Ray takes in his newly assembled team, sat about on feed buckets and deck chairs in Lee's dingy barn. The air is thick with damp and sweat. He knows he's taking a risk bringing in extra men. But with the state Terry's in, he needs more muscle to pull this off. Next to Lee and Terry is Bill Cochrane. Bill's a mate. He's balding these days, his eyes accreased with crow's feet, but his shoulders still carry the same power they always have. Next to Bill, Aldo Chirrocki smooths his gelled hair, checking his reflection in a stray hubcap. He's young, suave, a bit full of himself for Ray's liking. But Ray's heard he's got a good head on his shoulders.
52:32 Alice Levine? Clearing his throat and puffing out his chest, Ray lifts his eyes to the plan he's stapled to a rotting beam above his head. This is a smash and grab. It's simple, clean. We drive through the gates, under one of the shutters, into the main concourse of the Dome. From there, we head to the money zone on foot, go into the vault which sits on the east border of the room. Ray points to his crudely drawn sketch of the vault on the plan. Terry laughs.
53:00 Speaker 04 Oh, that's what that is!
53:02 Matt Forde? Look like a blimp from here. Always critiquing his drawing, isn't he, Terry?
53:06 Alice Levine? I know. Not a man with an eye.
53:09 Matt Forde? Look, come on, you're hardened criminals. You know these are going to be crude sketches. You can't be like, "Oh, I thought that was a window, not a door."
53:14 Alice Levine? Ignoring him, Ray presses on. There's loads of CCTV in the vault, so we're only going to have two minutes in there to break the glass. He picks up a state-of-the-art nail gun and fires it across the barn, shattering the windscreen of an old van parked up outside. Fucking hell, Ray. But Ray smiles. He's got the room's attention. We'll weaken the glass with a nail gun, then smash it with an hammer, grab the diamond, and get the fuck out of there. The other men start chuntering excitedly about what they're going to do with the cash, but Ray sees Lee look dubious. But you never said how we're going to get into the vault to get the diamond.
53:57 Alice Levine? Ray swallows. He was dreading this moment. Yeah. According to my research, the thing's impossible to get into. So, we're going to have to do this when it's already open.
54:12 Alice Levine? The rest of the men look at him, eyes wide, as the risk they're taking starts to dawn on them. Tell me you ain't saying.
54:22 Alice Levine? Ray nods gravely, because they aren't going to steal the diamond under the cover of night. They're going to pull off the biggest smash-and-grab this country has ever seen, while the Millennium Dome is teeming with people. This is going to be daylight robbery.
54:54 Alice Levine? From Wondery and Samestat Audio, this is the first episode in our series The Millennium Dome Heist.
55:01 Matt Forde? A quick note about our dialogue. In most cases, we can't know exactly what was said, but all our dramatizations are based on historical research.
55:08 Alice Levine? If you'd like to know more about this story, you can read Diamond Geezers by Chris Holling. Diamond Gangster by Lee Wenham, or Dome Raiders by John Shatford and William Doyle. And you can watch The Heist at the Millennium Dome from the BBC, or Diamond Heist on Netflix.
55:23 Matt Forde? Please keep your scandal suggestions coming. We're getting all sorts of weird, wacky, and wonderful ideas. BritishScandal at Wondery.com. A huge thank you to everyone who's already sent them in.
55:33 Alice Levine? Yes, thank you. British Scandal is hosted by me, Alice Levine.
55:36 Matt Forde? And me, Matt Ford.
55:37 Alice Levine? Written by Lydia Marchant. Additional writing by Alice Levine and Matt Ford. Our story editor is James Maniac. Sound design by Rich Evans. Our engineer is Jai Williams. For Samizdat, our producer is Redsey Bernard. Our assistant producer is Louise Mason. Our senior producers are Joe Sykes and Dasha Lisatsina. For Wondery, our senior producer is Theodora Leludis. Executive producers for Wondery are Estelle Doyle and Marshall Louie.
56:18 Speaker 02 By 1779, Benedict Arnold had sacrificed more for the revolution than almost any other man in America. One of George Washington's most effective commanders, he had nearly lost a leg in the Second Battle of Saratoga. But in return, Arnold believed he had been humiliated by Congress and cheated of his glory by lesser men. So he decided to make them pay. Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of the podcast American Scandal. We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in US history: presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, Benedict Arnold turns his back on his comrades in the Continental Army and secretly defects to the British. With the help of his wife, he plots to hand over the most important colonial fortress to the
57:02 Speaker 02 enemy and doom the revolution he once served. Follow American Scandal wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of American Scandal early and ad-free right now. Join Audible.
57:15 Speaker 05 On the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts. For decades, two legendary brands fought for the hearts of American bikers, Indian Motorcycle and Harley-Davidson. The battle looked a lot like Coke versus Pepsi or Ford versus Chevy, but tastes changed and Indian didn't adapt fast enough. The icon all but died. Then came the Con Men, the Dreamers, a string of spectacular failures that kept Indian in the grave until one company finally got it right. This is the story of an improbable revival and the reignition of an old rivalry. Hey, I'm David Brown, the host of the podcast Business Wars. And every season, we bring you the true stories behind the companies that shape our world. Indian's new owners are going all in, but an existential crisis looms.
57:58 Speaker 05 Can Indian and Harley recruit enough younger riders to survive? Make sure to follow Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. Audible subscribers can binge all episodes of Business Wars early and ad-free right now. Join Audible in the Audible app or by subscribing on Apple Podcasts.
Previous The Birmingham Six | Chris Mullin, the “Loony Leftie” Who Freed the Birmingham Six | 4 Next The Millennium Dome Heist | Cops and Robbers | 2 Page updated November 1, 2026 · transcript and summary are machine-generated