Netflix’s latest documentary has been blasted for ‘romanticizing’ real-life crooks.
The Diamond Heist, executive-produced by Guy Ritchie, debuted on April 16 and immediately captivated viewers with its unbelievable true story. The three-part series revisits the infamous Millennium Dome Raid, which stunned London in November 2000.
Just months after the Millennium Dome (now the O2 Arena) opened to the public, a local gang attempted to steal a 203-carat diamond from its jewels exhibition.
Although the thieves had an elaborate plan, they didn’t count on the Metropolitan Police’s Flying Squad having been monitoring their every move for months. On the day of the attempted heist, the gang was apprehended at the scene.
Now, over two decades since the notorious raid, Netflix has released a mini-series featuring one of the convicted criminals sharing his side of the story, reports Surrey Live.
Lee Wenham, 57, recounts the events leading up to the failed robbery in the documentary series, which also includes interviews with key police personnel who foiled the gang’s plans.
As viewers have tuned in, they’ve largely shared positive reviews. One enthusiastic fan posted on IMDB: “I’m not gonna lie, Netflix is really doing a great job making these types of mini-series. I always said that real life beats any movie or TV show and this is the proof, this mini-series is the evidence.”
However, some viewers have taken issue with the decision to include one of the actual culprits in the documentary, labelling it ‘problematic.’
A peeved viewer wrote: “We must stop compensating criminals for their stories for our entertainment.”
They elaborated on their viewpoint, stating: “We simply must! And not just monetarily compensate, but in street credibility as well […] why are WE AS A SOCIETY rewarding them, even after they have served their debt to society via incarceration – I just can’t do it anymore and I wish that y’all would join me.
“These stories can be told sans the criminals participant(s) and should do – we can recount or re-enact in lieu of giving these people exactly what they want (in some cases as much as the ill gotten gains) and don’t get me wrong, I’m no saint and I’m more liberal than not, but this reward/redemption is problematic.”
This sentiment was echoed by another IMDB user, who confessed to feeling ‘conflicted’ and commented: “On the one hand this is quite an interesting heist with a good story to tell.
“On the other this is such a slick and glossy production that it ends up glamorising and sanitising the real crime and gangsters as if it’s one of Guy Ritchie’s dramas.”
The same person added: “It also gives a lot of attention and voice to the criminals themselves, which is what they want (as they say in their own words). Almost resulting in giving the impression they were in the right or somehow entitled to do what they did.”
Despite the backlash, social media users are still buzzing about the limited series. Over on X, which used to be Twitter, one user heaped praise on the documentary, declaring: “Just saw #TheDiamondHeist on #Netflix and yes, it is that good.”
The Diamond Heist is streaming now on Netflix.
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