The latest McCann suspect: Scotland Yard has revealed vital new information about a suspect wanted in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

Madeleine McCann disappearance: Police reveal details about latest suspect
Scotland Yard says it is seeking information about a German man who is serving a long sentence in prison for other offences.

Martin Brunt - Crime correspondent


Wednesday 3 June 2020 19:14, UK

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Scotland Yard has revealed vital new information about a suspect wanted in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.

According to the new details, the 43-year-old German lived in a ramshackle old farm building two miles from where she vanished in Praia da Luz on Portugal's Algarve coast in May 2007.

He littered the land around the rented home with old vehicles which he bought and sold for a living.

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The rear of the Jaguar car linked to a German suspect being investigated over Madeleine McCann's disappearance. Pic: Met Police

The rear of the Jaguar car linked to a German suspect being investigated over Madeleine McCann's disappearance. Pic: Met Police

The suspect suddenly left the rented property a year before Madeleine disappeared, but police think he stayed nearby in the area.

Detectives have seized a camper van they believe he used, and are examining it for potential forensic clues.


The man is currently serving a long sentence in a German prison, where he is also suspected of other offences.


Sky News is not revealing the suspect's identity for legal reasons and Scotland Yard has not named him.

The suspect's name was given to the Metropolitan Police in 2017 after the 10th anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance.

A Volkswagen camper van linked to the suspect

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A Volkswagen camper van linked to the suspect
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell said: "We know a lot about the suspect, but we need to know more about his movements on the night Madeleine vanished and in the days before and afterwards.

"We know he was in the resort on the night, about an hour before Madeleine was last seen around 9pm.

"He took a phone call on his Portuguese mobile from another Portuguese mobile. The call lasted half an hour."

Police want to hear from anyone who recognises the suspect's phone number and the number calling him.

They are also keen to hear from anyone who recognises the suspect's distinctive camper van and a Jaguar car he was also using at the time.

The day after Madeleine disappeared, the suspect had the Jaguar re-registered in someone else's name.



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A photo of the McCanns when they were a family of five
The property the suspect rented sits on a remote hillside along a footpath that runs from above the beach where Madeleine and her family played during their week's holiday in May, 2007.

A former neighbour of the suspect said: "He arrived in the mid-90s and rented the place from the English owner.

"He went back to Germany at one stage and moved another German guy in to look after it, then came back and threw him out on the street.

"He was always a bit angry, driving fast up and down the lane, and then one day, around 2006, he just disappeared without a word. I think he left some rent unpaid."

The neighbour added: "About six months later I was asked to help clean up the place and it was disgusting, absolutely vile. It had been trashed, with broken stuff like computers all over the place.

"We found a bin bag and inside were wigs and exotic clothing, whether just fancy dress or something stranger I couldn't tell."

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Madeleine McCann has been missing since May 2007

The neighbour said she was contacted by Scotland Yard detectives who asked her about the man last year, without revealing any detail of their suspicion.

This year she was visited by Portuguese detectives who showed her photographs of the man and asked more questions.

It is understood that many neighbours, friends and acquaintances of the suspect have been interviewed as police try to establish his movements around the time Madeleine disappeared from her family's holiday apartment.

Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished without trace after being left sleeping with her younger twin siblings while their parents dined nearby.

Portuguese police abandoned their investigation after 15 months then reopened it in 2013, before Scotland Yard began its own probe.

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Madeleine during the family's holiday in Praia da Luz

This month, the Home Office gave the Madeleine squad another year's funding of £300,000 to keep its investigation, Operation Grange, going. It has so far spent £11.75m.

Cressida Dick, the Yard's commissioner, said last year that the squad would keep investigating while there were "active lines of inquiry to pursue."

More recently the UK and Portuguese forces have worked together to explore the theory of the German suspect and a second, perhaps lesser, undisclosed theory which is said to be the subject of a delicate operation overseas.

Sky News - 'Scotland Yard has revealed vital new information about a suspect wanted in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
The 43-year-old German lived in a ramshackle old farm building two miles from where she vanished in Praia da Luz on Portugal's Algarve coast in May 2007.

He littered the land around the rented home with old vehicles which he bought and sold for a living.'

I smell a rat - the 30 min phone call and German police thinking she is dead feels like a body will be found and an already imprisoned guy blamed before he either 'confesses' or conveniently dies.

All over British news - makes me think they going to use this to wrap it all up.

Welcome Eastree27 and thank you for the latest news

"This month, the Home Office gave the Madeleine squad another year's funding of £300,000 to keep its investigation, Operation Grange, going." 

Madeleine McCann disappearance: Police reveal details about latest suspect  

The German, who is in prison for other offences, had his car re-registered in someone else's name the day after the girl vanished.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

  
Crime correspondent [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Scotland Yard has revealed vital new information about a suspect wanted in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
The 43-year-old German lived in a ramshackle old farm building two miles from where she vanished in Praia da Luz on Portugal's Algarve coast in May 2007.

He littered the land around the rented home with old vehicles which he bought and sold for a living.


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: The rear of the Jaguar car linked to a German suspect being investigated over Madeleine McCann's disappearance. Pic: Met Police  
The suspect suddenly left the rented property a year before [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] disappeared, but police think he stayed nearby in the area.
He is described as white, 6ft tall, slim, with short blond hair. At the time of Madeleine's disappearance he was 30 years old.

Detectives have seized a camper van they believe he used, and are examining it for potential forensic clues.
The man is currently serving a long sentence in a German prison, where he is also suspected of other offences.

Sky News is not revealing the suspect's identity for legal reasons and Scotland Yard has not named him.
The suspect's name was given to the Metropolitan Police in 2017 after the 10th anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: A Volkswagen camper van linked to the suspect  
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell said: "We know a lot about the suspect, but we need to know more about his movements on the night Madeleine vanished and in the days before and afterwards.
"We know he was in the resort on the night, about an hour before Madeleine was last seen around 9pm.
"He took a phone call on his Portuguese mobile from another Portuguese mobile. The call lasted half an hour.
"While this male is a suspect we retain an open mind as to his involvement and this remains a missing person inquiry."
Police want to hear from anyone who recognises the suspect's phone number and the number calling him.
They are also keen to hear from anyone who recognises the suspect's distinctive VW T3 Westfalia camper van and a Jaguar car he was also using at the time.
The day after Madeleine disappeared, the suspect had the Jaguar re-registered in someone else's name.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: A photo of the McCanns when they were a family of five  
The property the suspect rented sits on a remote hillside along a footpath that runs from above the beach where Madeleine and her family played during their week's holiday in May, 2007.
A former neighbour of the suspect said: "He arrived in the mid-90s and rented the place from the English owner.
"He went back to Germany at one stage and moved another German guy in to look after it, then came back and threw him out on the street.
"He was always a bit angry, driving fast up and down the lane, and then one day, around 2006, he just disappeared without a word. I think he left some rent unpaid."
The neighbour added: "About six months later I was asked to help clean up the place and it was disgusting, absolutely vile. It had been trashed, with broken stuff like computers all over the place.
"We found a bin bag and inside were wigs and exotic clothing, whether just fancy dress or something stranger I couldn't tell."

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: Madeleine McCann has been missing since May 2007  
The neighbour said she was contacted by Scotland Yard detectives who asked her about the man last year, without revealing any detail of their suspicion.
This year she was visited by Portuguese detectives who showed her photographs of the man and asked more questions.
It is understood that many neighbours, friends and acquaintances of the suspect have been interviewed as police try to establish his movements around the time Madeleine disappeared from her family's holiday apartment.
Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished without trace after being left sleeping with her younger twin siblings while their parents dined nearby.
He parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, said in a statement: "We welcome the appeal today regarding the disappearance of our daughter, Madeleine.
"We would like to thank the police forces involved for their continued efforts in the search for Madeleine.
"All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice. We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know, as we need to find peace."
Portuguese police abandoned their investigation after 15 months then reopened it in 2013, before Scotland Yard began its own probe.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: Madeleine during the family's holiday in Praia da Luz  
This month, the Home Office gave the Madeleine squad another year's funding of £300,000 to keep its investigation, Operation Grange, going. It has so far spent £11.75m.
Cressida Dick, the Yard's commissioner, said last year that the squad would keep investigating while there were "active lines of inquiry to pursue."
More recently the UK and Portuguese forces have worked together to explore the theory of the German suspect and a second, perhaps lesser, undisclosed theory which is said to be the subject of a delicate operation overseas.

Here's the link: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Jill Havern wrote:Welcome Eastree27 and thank you for the latest news

"This month, the Home Office gave the Madeleine squad another year's funding of £300,000 to keep its investigation, Operation Grange, going." 

Madeleine McCann disappearance: Police reveal details about latest suspect  

The German, who is in prison for other offences, had his car re-registered in someone else's name the day after the girl vanished.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

  
Crime correspondent [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Scotland Yard has revealed vital new information about a suspect wanted in connection with the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
The 43-year-old German lived in a ramshackle old farm building two miles from where she vanished in Praia da Luz on Portugal's Algarve coast in May 2007.

He littered the land around the rented home with old vehicles which he bought and sold for a living.


[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: The rear of the Jaguar car linked to a German suspect being investigated over Madeleine McCann's disappearance. Pic: Met Police  
The suspect suddenly left the rented property a year before [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] disappeared, but police think he stayed nearby in the area.
He is described as white, 6ft tall, slim, with short blond hair. At the time of Madeleine's disappearance he was 30 years old.

Detectives have seized a camper van they believe he used, and are examining it for potential forensic clues.
The man is currently serving a long sentence in a German prison, where he is also suspected of other offences.

Sky News is not revealing the suspect's identity for legal reasons and Scotland Yard has not named him.
The suspect's name was given to the Metropolitan Police in 2017 after the 10th anniversary of Madeleine's disappearance.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: A Volkswagen camper van linked to the suspect  
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell said: "We know a lot about the suspect, but we need to know more about his movements on the night Madeleine vanished and in the days before and afterwards.
"We know he was in the resort on the night, about an hour before Madeleine was last seen around 9pm.
"He took a phone call on his Portuguese mobile from another Portuguese mobile. The call lasted half an hour.
"While this male is a suspect we retain an open mind as to his involvement and this remains a missing person inquiry."
Police want to hear from anyone who recognises the suspect's phone number and the number calling him.
They are also keen to hear from anyone who recognises the suspect's distinctive VW T3 Westfalia camper van and a Jaguar car he was also using at the time.
The day after Madeleine disappeared, the suspect had the Jaguar re-registered in someone else's name.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: A photo of the McCanns when they were a family of five  
The property the suspect rented sits on a remote hillside along a footpath that runs from above the beach where Madeleine and her family played during their week's holiday in May, 2007.
A former neighbour of the suspect said: "He arrived in the mid-90s and rented the place from the English owner.
"He went back to Germany at one stage and moved another German guy in to look after it, then came back and threw him out on the street.
"He was always a bit angry, driving fast up and down the lane, and then one day, around 2006, he just disappeared without a word. I think he left some rent unpaid."
The neighbour added: "About six months later I was asked to help clean up the place and it was disgusting, absolutely vile. It had been trashed, with broken stuff like computers all over the place.
"We found a bin bag and inside were wigs and exotic clothing, whether just fancy dress or something stranger I couldn't tell."

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: Madeleine McCann has been missing since May 2007  
The neighbour said she was contacted by Scotland Yard detectives who asked her about the man last year, without revealing any detail of their suspicion.
This year she was visited by Portuguese detectives who showed her photographs of the man and asked more questions.
It is understood that many neighbours, friends and acquaintances of the suspect have been interviewed as police try to establish his movements around the time Madeleine disappeared from her family's holiday apartment.
Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished without trace after being left sleeping with her younger twin siblings while their parents dined nearby.
He parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, said in a statement: "We welcome the appeal today regarding the disappearance of our daughter, Madeleine.
"We would like to thank the police forces involved for their continued efforts in the search for Madeleine.
"All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice. We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know, as we need to find peace."
Portuguese police abandoned their investigation after 15 months then reopened it in 2013, before Scotland Yard began its own probe.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Image: Madeleine during the family's holiday in Praia da Luz  
This month, the Home Office gave the Madeleine squad another year's funding of £300,000 to keep its investigation, Operation Grange, going. It has so far spent £11.75m.
Cressida Dick, the Yard's commissioner, said last year that the squad would keep investigating while there were "active lines of inquiry to pursue."
More recently the UK and Portuguese forces have worked together to explore the theory of the German suspect and a second, perhaps lesser, undisclosed theory which is said to be the subject of a delicate operation overseas.

Here's the link: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thank you - I have been a long term reader of the forum but the latest news is so dodgy I felt I had to join because I think it is going to be used to officially conclude it.

It was a great opening post, thank you for your contribution.


eta: I've merged this topic with Sharon's.

Of course Scotland Yard always release news of " vital new information " regarding an " ongoing investigation " to the media don't they Martin Brunt ? 

Or is that only in the " abduction " of Madeleine McCann ? 

How many German suspects is that now , plus the spouting from the Persian Medium that Madeleine ( now called Melanie ) is alive and well living in Germany .

" He took a call on his Portuguese mobile from another Portuguese mobile , the call lasted half an hour "   
Well that's it isn't it , definitely " it woz im wot did it m'lud " 

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Edit - extra details from Brunt - [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

'A former neighbour of the suspect said: "He arrived in the mid-90s and rented the place from the English owner.
"He went back to Germany at one stage and moved another German guy in to look after it, then came back and threw him out on the street.
"He was always a bit angry, driving fast up and down the lane, and then one day, around 2006, he just disappeared without a word. I think he left some rent unpaid."
The neighbour added: "About six months later I was asked to help clean up the place and it was disgusting, absolutely vile. It had been trashed, with broken stuff like computers all over the place.
"We found a bin bag and inside were wigs and exotic clothing, whether just fancy dress or something stranger I couldn't tell."


 

The neighbour said she was contacted by Scotland Yard detectives who asked her about the man last year, without revealing any detail of their suspicion.
This year she was visited by Portuguese detectives who showed her photographs of the man and asked more questions.
It is understood that many neighbours, friends and acquaintances of the suspect have been interviewed as police try to establish his movements around the time Madeleine disappeared from her family's holiday apartment.'

Very reminiscent of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Hi Ben long time no see.

Thank you for the extra details.

Hiya Jill - tried to add this under the first link but wasn't quick enough (got distracted tracking down the Express story):

'In his interview with an Australian podcast, he mentioned the possibility of a German paedophile being responsible - but he didn’t mention 49-year-old Hamburg-born child strangler Ney by name.

---

---

Instead he described the suspect only as someone who had been ruled out of the investigation into the missing British youngster in 2008 but later jailed in his home country.

Now Amaral, the original lead investigator in the case, has now said the suspect isn’t Ney, who was jailed for life in 2012 for abducting and murdering three children, and sexually abusing dozens more.

When he was shown a photo of him on Spanish TV, Amaral responded: “It can’t be him.”
“A paedophile who is German and serving life for killing children has been spoken about,” he told a show about missing adults and children.

“What I know is that the suspect is not him, it’s another man. He’s also in prison in Germany.




"He’s also a paedophile.”
In a bizarre twist, Amaral said the suspect looks similar to Madeleine’s dad Gerry before saying that Ney bears no resemblance to him.'


(Emphasis mine).

What's the betting Amaral did not say that.

Madeleine McCann: German prisoner identified as suspect

• 1 hour ago
  

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A 43-year-old German prisoner who travelled around Portugal in a camper van is now the focus of Scotland Yard's investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann 13 years ago.

Police believe he was in the area where the little girl, then aged three, was last seen in May 2007.

They are appealing for information about the van and the suspect's other vehicle, a Jaguar.
The man transferred it to someone else's name the day after she vanished.

"Someone out there knows a lot more than they're letting on," said DCI Mark Cranwell, who is leading the Met inquiry.

Madeleine went missing from an apartment on a Portuguese holiday resort on the evening of 3 May 2007, while her parents were with friends at a nearby tapas bar. The most recent Met Police investigation, which began in 2011, has cost more than £11m.

The force said it remained a "missing persons" investigation because it doesn't have "definitive evidence" as to whether Madeleine is alive or not.

Scotland Yard said the German authorities had taken the lead on this aspect of the case because the German suspect was in custody in their country.

Detectives said the suspect, who is not being named, was in jail for an "unrelated matter" and had "previous convictions", but they declined to supply more details.

'Critical' information

An appeal on German television was broadcast this evening at 19:15 BST.

DCI Cranwell said the prisoner, then aged 30, frequented the Algarve between 1995 and 2007, staying for "days upon end" in his camper van and living a "transient lifestyle".

He was in the Praia de Luz area where the McCann family was staying when she disappeared and received a phone call at 7.32pm, which ended at 8.02pm.

Police have released details of the suspect's phone number and the number he dialled saying any information about them could be "critical" to the inquiry.

They also want the person who called the suspect to come forward.

"They're a key witness and we urge them to get in touch," said DCI Cranwell.

"Some people will know the man we're describing today... you may be aware of some of the things he's done," he said.

"He may have confided in you about the disappearance of Madeleine.

"More than 13 years have passed and your loyalties may have changed," he added.

"Now is the time to come forward."

Police said the suspect was one of 600 people that detectives on the inquiry, known as Operation Grange, originally looked at, though he had not been a suspect.

After an appeal in 2017, "significant" fresh information about him was provided.

Since then, Met detectives have carried out "extensive inquiries" in Portugal and Germany in order to gather more details about him.

Scotland Yard said they were trying to "prove or disprove" his involvement in the case and retained an "open mind".



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....................



Another load of old cobblers - justification for another stay of execution for Operation Grange?

Sounds to me like Hewlett and the more recent imprisoned German man all rolled into one.

Just like the Sun in the last twenty fourhours, old news re-hashed.

After Burglators and tractor man we now have - a Jagabond

I was just watching a Portuguese news report about how "Maddie could still be alive" and how this lead is "highly credible".

It's inexcusable for the Portuguese press to continue parroting the lies of the UK establishment and media, after all the interviews they conducted with Gonçalo Amaral and other credible experts, and the evidence that they discussed.

Madeleine deserves better.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna rewatch a great documentary presented by an actual journalist.

Jill Havern wrote:What's the betting Amaral did not say that.

I've found umpteen repetitions of the quote, and another more detailed quote, but yet to find what 'Spanish tv show' it is meant to have come from.

What is on the record is [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Spring last year that he felt British police would use a German paedophile as a scapegoat

Mainline wrote:

Jill Havern wrote:What's the betting Amaral did not say that.

I've found umpteen repetitions of the quote, and another more detailed quote, but yet to find what 'Spanish tv show' it is meant to have come from.

What is on the record is [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] Spring last year that he felt British police would use a German paedophile as a scapegoat

Now that I do believe!

Rogue-a-Tory wrote:After Burglators and tractor man we now have - a Jagabond

Good to see you back too

Both articles published by the Sun affiliates today, are rehashed news reports from May 2019 and now..


German paedophile suspected by UK police in Madeleine McCann mystery, ex detective claims

"He is probably going to be the scapegoat for the case."

By
Aoife Walsh

• 22:13, 19 MAY 2019
  
• Updated22:15, 19 MAY 2019
  

A German paedophile UK police are allegedly investigating in connection with Madeleine McCann's disappearance is a "scapegoat", an ex detective has claimed.

Speaking to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] , former Portuguese detective, Goncalo Amaral claimed the sex offender would become a suspect in Scotland Yard's investigation.

Amaral, who previously led the investigation, claimed Operation Grange -  London Metropolitan Police's search for Madeleine - as having only "one investigation line", adding: "[Operation Grange detectives] are preparing the end of the investigation, with a German paedophile who is in prison right now.

"He is probably going to be the scapegoat for the case."

Jim Gamble, who headed the initial investigation into the little girl's disappearance, told the Daily Star that the world will one day know what happened to her.

He said: "I genuinely believe that either a prompt to someone’s conscience or the advances in modern technology will take us to a point in my lifetime where we find out what happened to Madeleine.

"I absolutely believe that. If this involves an abductor, someone will have seen something.

"Someone will have suspected something and for personal loyalty perhaps, a relationship, or whatever else – the fact that they’ve been unsure, they’ll have kept that to themselves.

Last week, Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry marked her 16th birthday by laying out presents in her bedroom.

They wrote on the Official Find Madeleine Campaign Facebook page: "Happy 16th Birthday, Madeleine!

"We love you and we’re waiting for you and we’re never going to give up.”

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Well timed!  Coronivirus is on the wane ....

This latest carp was kicked-off by the Netflix production and has been rumbling in the background ever since..

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It was widely reported at the time that the McCanns refused to be involved with the production.  Why would they .... all their friends relations and adherents were up-front to spread the gospel according to team McCann.

Don't get over excited - it's a load of cobblers.

Long time reader, used to have an account here as well but couldn’t find the login details anymore. I’m pretty sceptical about these so called breakthroughs but the German police seems te be pretty certain about the case. On the German BKA site is a pdf with information in English and at the bottom of the page there are pictures of the cars but also one picture of a house he supposedly lived. Maybe it’s interesting to see if anybody here has seen that house before in all of the research people here have done on the case. 

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IF  it is correct, then everyone here, on this forum, on Twitter, on Facebook, and everywhere else would be greatly relieved that at last £12m investigation was drawing to a close and that finally the full facts of the case were about to be revealed.
Including how and when he, or they, managed to do it
But
IF  it is not correct, ajnd is, like so much else a total invention, then the entire world will recognise that this is yet another Cynical attempt to divert their attention from "keeping their eye on the squirrel".

We await results.

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The fact that this is already very, very old "news", might just lead us to suspect that, just perhaps, some other news is about to break, somewhere else.
Any news of the ECHR, for example ?

I wonder if this may have anything to do with that article about a blood stained towel being found in a derelict farmhouse or barn. Apparently, Gerry and Russells mobiles were traced there but the article was quickly whooshed.

Something is definitely in the wind.

So - 'Brunt of the Yard' puts 1 and 1 together, makes 5 and as usual, our (UK) media laps it up!

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'Madeleine McCann police 'have enough evidence to charge suspect with abduction and murder''

Prosecutors in Germany have already begun building a strong case against the main suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, a drifter with a record of burglary and offences against young girls.

The man, now 43, had been living a “transient” life in a camper van, and working in and around Praia da Luz at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance from a holiday flat in the Algarve resort on May 3, 2007.
In the documentary Case Files XY Unsolved on German TV tonight, Christian Hoppe, director of the National Crime Agency, said German police believed they had almost enough evidence to charge him with Madeleine’s abduction and murder.
Herr Hoppe said that there may be some people associated with the suspect who were aware of his ­movements on the night Madeleine disappeared, and he appealed to them to come forward and “clear their conscience” now.
Police appealed to anyone in the resort at the time to fill “the final gaps” in the case, releasing photos of the man’s camper van and Jaguar car and details of a phone call he made on the night the three-year-old vanished.




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Police had been aware of his ­presence in the resort and had been building up a case against him since parents Kate and Gerry McCann made an appeal for information on German TV in October, 2013.
The suspect had faced sexual and drug-dealing charges in Germany before he arrived in Portugal.

138208756602

He had also been involved in theft and burglary in the country, where he lived from 1995 to 2007, when he returned to Germany.
Police are unclear if the suspected motive was a simple burglary and he had found Madeleine in the flat after he had broken in, or if he went with the intention to abduct her.
Police revealed the man’s Portuguese-registered phone was in the resort the night Madeleine vanished.
He received a half-hour phone call from another Portuguese number an hour before Madeleine was last seen.


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Christian Hoppe, director of Germany's National Crime Agency, said police think they have enough evidence to charge the suspect with murder (Image: ZDF)
His number, +351 912730680, and the caller’s number, +351 916510683, were released. The caller is not a suspect but is a “crucial witness” police now want to trace.
The programme revealed details of properties the suspect used in the area, one an apartment between Praia da Luz and Lagos, the other an empty property around 15km from Lagos.
Viewers were asked to send police any holiday snaps or video which could help their inquiries. In a reconstruction, Kate and Gerry McCann relived the moment they realised Madeleine was gone.
Kate told the programme, a version of Crimewatch, how they had returned from a tapas restaurant to find ­Madeleine’s bed empty.




She said: “It just seemed a very calm and peaceful place when we arrived there. When I went into her bedroom, I could not see her.

“I thought she was in our bedroom but she was not there either. The curtain went ‘pssh’ and I just remember seeing that the window had been opened.”
Gerry said from that moment they knew the “worst thing imaginable” had happened.
Scotland Yard Detective Chief Insp Mark Cranwell said the suspect had lived a “transient lifestyle” living in his camper van for “days on end”.
Police released photos of the man’s 1980s VW camper and Jaguar XJR-6, both were in Praia da Luz in 2007.


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(Image: PA)

The Jaguar was re-registered in Germany to another person the day after Madeleine disappeared.
 The vehicles have since been seized in Germany and checked for forensic clues linking them to Madeleine.
The suspect had rented a ramshackle farm building from a British man two miles from the resort and had made money selling cars.
Former neighbours told Sky News he “disappeared without a word” from the Algarve farmhouse in 2006.


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Handout photo issued by Metropolitan Police of a 1993 Jaguar XJR6 that has been linked to the suspect (Image: PA)
One said: “He arrived in the mid-90s and rented the place from the English owner.
"He went back to Germany at one stage and moved another German guy in to look after it, then came back and threw him out on the street.
“He was always a bit angry, driving fast up and down the lane. And then one day, around 2006, he just disappeared without a word.
"I think he left some rent unpaid. About six months later I was asked to help clean up the place and it was disgusting, ­absolutely vile.
“We found a bin bag and inside were wigs and exotic clothing.”

New Madeleine McCann prime suspect

German authorities are treating their investigation as a murder inquiry, while Scotland Yard say it is still a missing person case.
Met Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart Cundy said: “It’s now 13 years since Madeleine went missing. Today is a significant point in time for the Met’s investigation.”
Kate and Gerry welcomed the breakthrough, saying: “All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice. We need to find peace.”
Scotland Yard said they were “aware” of the man before getting a tip-off in May 2017, but he had never previously been a suspect.
They worked alone on the tip for four months before agreeing to liaise with German colleagues.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Cundy said since then “a huge amount of work” had been done by the Met and German police.
“The outcome of that is that he is a suspect in the Met’s investigation.
"We will not be giving the name or the identity of this man, but I do recognise that some people will know this suspect.
"Somebody called his phone. We don’t know who that caller was.”
Det Chief Insp Mark Cranwell, who is leading Operation Grange, issued a description of the suspect.
He said: “He is white, has short blond hair, possibly fair, about six foot in height with a slim build. In 2007 he was 30 and may have looked somewhere between 25 and early 30s.”
Appealing to anyone who personally knows the man, he added: “This individual is in prison and we are conscious that some people may have been concerned about contacting police in the past.
“Now is the time to come forward.”

Here we go - this guy is being made a scapegoat

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Extract

“Indirectly, it may boost out search simply by enlightening those who, for whatever reason, believe Madeleine is no longer alive, or that there is nothing else that can be done to find her.”

Kate went on to explain how she hoped this information would help put to bed any misconceptions about her daughter’s disappearance.

She added: “We trust it will put to rest some of the myths that have sprung up around her abduction.

“As will become clear in the book, while we still do not know what happened to Madeleine, there remains no evidence whatsoever to suggest that she was killed.”

Thirteen years on and still no charges of at least 'multiple child neglect'.
Any explanation re. the 'wooshing' curtains inside the closed (unjemmied and unmarked) shutters yet?