Netflix fans binge-watch 'fantastic and hugely entertaining' series that knocked Black Mirror off the top spot
The Diamond Heist viewers have raved over the new Guy Ritchie documentary as it knocks Black Mirror off Netflix 's top spot.
After only being released earlier this month, the three-part series dives into the real-life tale behind the attempted Millennium Dome raid.
Produced by legendary crime film director Guy Ritchie, it features first-hand accounts from former gang member Lee Wenham and the Met's ex-Flying Squad task for catching the criminals.
'This stranger-than-fiction crime caper follows the attempted robbery of a precious gem, told by the gangsters who did it and the police on their tail,' the synopsis reads.
Just days after its release, viewers have raved about the series and reportedly shot up to number one on Netflix, taking the top spot from chart-topping Black Mirror.
Some have taken to social media to share their verdicts and one exclaimed: 'If you're a Guy Ritchie fan you need to watch #TheDiamondHeist on Netflix immediately.'
Produced by legendary crime film director Guy Ritchie , it features first-hand accounts from former gang member Lee Wenham (pictured) and the Met's ex-Flying Squad task for catching the criminals
'#TheDiamondHeist on #Netflix was one of the best true crime doco's I've seen in a while. Loved it.
'Guessing till the end how it all came together. Loved how British it felt too, the flashbacks and nostalgia. Brilliant!'
'#TheDiamondHeist what a story!! Brilliant documentary with classic @GuyRitchie1968 touches.
'Binged all 3eps and loved every minute! Hugely entertaining & very interesting. Highly recommend!'
'Great watch on Netflix #TheDiamondHeist.'
'Just watched #Diamondheist on #Netflix. Fantastic. Remember it so clearly. The last sentence of the 3 episodes is so funny. Defo a must watch documentary.'
Armed with ammonia and smoke grenades, the gang bulldozed their way into the Greenwich attraction in November 2000.
They intended to seize the fabulous Millennium Star - which was owned by specialists De Beers - along with 11 other blue diamonds rated among the finest in the world, before escaping by speedboat, James Bond-style.
Just days after its release, viewers have raved about the series and reportedly shot up to number one on Netflix, taking the top spot from chart-topping Black Mirror
Unfortunately for them, however, their every move had been anticipated thanks to a meticulous and detailed police sting.
The gems had been replaced with fakes. And as the gang smashed their way into the display cases, an army of cops - some armed - were waiting to swoop, with surveillance cameras capturing every stage of the drama.
As one member of the gang ruefully put it at the time: 'We would have got away with it but for the fact there were 140 police waiting for us.'
The Millennium Dome - which is now known at the London O2 - was opened to huge fanfare in 2000, with VIPs including the late Queen Elizabeth and former Prime Minister Tonty Blair, among those at its launch.
But the attraction was met with a lacklustre reception from the British public, with only half the number of visitors expected to attend actually doing so.
Inside its remarkable curved roof, the dome featured some of the rarest gemstones in the world - including the De Beers Millennium Jewels exhibit, which showcased priceless blue diamonds and the 203.04 carat Millennium Star diamond.
And it was this glittering array of gems, which would be worth some £700m in today's money, that caught the eye of the criminal underworld.
By the summer of 2000, south-east London gangsters were already plotting an assault of the dome to snatch the gems.
Gathering experts from the criminal underworld, crooks spent months studying the building's layout and day-to-day routine of workers, before then seeking to get a JCB and speedboat for the raid.
Much of the planning took place on the grounds of a rural farm, near Maidstone in Kent, with the gang believed to be stealing to order for the Russian mafia.
Despite the farcical outcome of the heist, there was nothing comical about the gang's background. Detectives described them as 'extremely ruthless'.
The Diamond Heist is available to stream on Netflix.
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