Madeleine McCann disappearance theories probed on missing girl's 17th birthday

Madeleine McCann disappearance theories probed on missing girl's 17th birthday

Madeleine McCann's 17th birthday falls this week and yet cops are no nearer to solving the UK's most high profile missing person case. The three-year-old vanished on May 3, 2007, from Praia da Luz, Portugal. Here, we examine theories behind her disappearance.

By Tom Towers News Reporter

13:59, 11 MAY 2020

Madeleine McCann ’s disappearance 13 years ago has sparked countless theories – but none have brought detectives any closer to the truth.

The three-year-old – who would have turned 17 this week on May 12 – vanished from her bed in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal on May 3 2007 just days before her 4th birthday.

British and Portuguese police afterwards launched a far-reaching operation and Scotland Yard has continued investigating to this day.

Cops have employed DNA technology, reviewed CCTV and interviewed countless people from the resort.

A number of potential culprits have also been put forward by eyewitnesses and detectives.

And yet to this day, that crucial breakthrough to help solve one of the UK's most high profile missing person cases remains elusive.

Here, Daily Star Online examines the most prominent theories surrounding Madeleine's disappearance.

Botched burglary

In the months leading up to Madeleine’s disappearance, there had been a fourfold increase in the number of burglaries in Praia da Luz, The Daily Telegraph reports.

In 2014, Scotland Yard questioned four local suspects on the theory that Madeleine may have woken up and disturbed a home invader – leading to her kidnap.

They were under suspicion because of their mobile phone activity and location at the time of her disappearance.

However, they were later ruled out and Portuguese police dismissed the theory.

Burglars may have sniffed an opportunity as the patio doors had been left unlocked to allow Kate and Gerry to check on their kids more easily.

Cops said bogus charity collectors were knocking on doors in Praia da Luz claiming to be collecting for an orphanage, as explored in the documentary.

But nothing was stolen from the apartment, The Sun reports.

Trafficked by gangs

In the early days of the investigation, private detectives believed she may have been handed to a child trafficker and taken to Morocco.

They focused their search on the Portuguese town of Silves, where an eyewitness claimed to have seen a blonde woman pass a child wrapped in a blanket to a man who then “bundled” her into a car.

A source told the Daily Telegraph: “We think this could have been the moment that Madeleine was handed over by the original abductors to a group who then took her out of the country.”

John Whitehead, from the Rutherford Institute, previously told Daily Star Online that Madeleine may have been sold by traffickers.

According to a recent commentary by the think-tank, “The Essence of Evil: Sex with Children Has Become Big Business in America” – which cites numerous investigative journalistic sources – children are being kidnapped on their own driveways, exploited in the sex industry every two minutes.

He said: “Kids are being snatched all over the world.

"When you look at migrant children coming across the border in the US, they just go missing."

Whitehead also claims the child sex industry could be made possible due to what he describes as "predator cops" – although there is no evidence to suggest police in Portugal assisted in the kidnapping of Maddie.

He cites recent cases such as a sting in Florida which ended with 277 arrests for sex trafficking.

Those arrested included police officers, as well as pharmacists and doctors.

Taken by a paedophile

Another theory suggests that Madeleine may have been taken by a stranger who had been watching her and the family during the holiday.

In 2009, reports claimed that those investigating her disappearance believed the Algarve had been “awash with paedophiles”.

One source said: “There are 38 known sex offenders in the Algarve. The area is a magnet for paedophiles.

“There have been seven sexual assaults involving the children of tourists in the Algarve in the last four years.

“They all have the same modus operandi as Madeleine’s disappearance – that is, a break-in at a holiday apartment and children molested.

“Five happened before Madeleine’s abduction, and two afterwards. One took place a month before she vanished.”

One man described as “very ugly” was seen watching the apartment where Maddie was staying on the day she disappeared.

He was spotted by a British woman, who claims he had pitted skin and a large nose, twice before Maddie vanished.

She described him as “very ugly”, around 5ft 10ins, slim and wearing casual clothes.

Another man who sexually assaulted five girls between seven and 10 remains on the run in the Algarve.

The attacks were carried out between 2004 and 2006, and he targeted homes Brits were staying in, including two in Praia da Luz.

He spoke English, but in a foreign accent, and has not been tracked down since.

Irish holidaymakers Mary and Martin Smith saw another man carrying a child who matched Maddie’s disappearance, at around 10pm 500 yards from the apartment.

Tot ‘wandered off’

Madeleine may have woken up and walked out of the property – a theory that was reportedly probed by UK and Portuguese police in 2018.

Despite a backlash from parents Kate and Gerry, one former detective believes there could be some weight to the hypothesis.

Jim Gamble was the UK’s most senior child protection police officer and heavily involved in the initial search for Maddie.

He told Daily Star Online: “What we do know is, Madeleine is missing.

“Either someone took her – could be anyone – or in fact she wandered out that night, came to harm and her body has never been discovered.

“You’ve got to consider the hypothesis that in fact she was taken.”

There were ongoing roadworks just 200 years from the apartment, and workers had reportedly dug 6ft-deep drains and a 4ft-wide trench.

However, the foreman and engineer in charge both insisted the site was checked by them and police.

Kate and Gerry attacked the theory after the line of inquiry was pursued.

A family source said: "Kate and Gerry have always maintained that their daughter was abducted and simply didn’t get up and wander off to her fate.

"To suggest this is almost ridiculous.

"There were heavy shutters which would have been impossible for a small child to open."

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/madeleine-mccann-disappearance-theories-probed-21986755
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Mr Tom Towers should reconsider his career options - like a visit to the nearest job centre. He's clearly not cut-out for being a reporter.

This carp is so full of holes, probably phishing hooks, fell free to pick it to the bones.

Mystic Meg strikes again..

Madeleine McCann 'alive and well' on 17th birthday but not celebrating, says psychic

EXCLUSIVE Psychic Fia Johansson says Madeleine McCann is alive and well, but there's a sad reason she won't be celebrating her 17th birthday on May 12 as she should be

By Joshua Smith

11:48, 12 MAY 2020

Madeleine McCann is alive in Germany and now called Melanie, a psychic has claimed – although the missing Brit girl won't be celebrating her 17th birthday today and will instead spend the day as she would any other.

Madeleine was just three when she disappeared from her family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, on the evening of May 3, 2007 – sparking a huge police hunt that lasts to this day.

Madeleine's 17th birthday would fall today, May 12, although a psychic says she won't be celebrating.

Fia Johansson – who has reportedly worked with US law enforcement agencies on missing person cases – believes Maddie is alive and well.

Fia claims Madeleine is living a new life after being adopted in Germany – but she has no idea who she really is.

Speaking exclusively to Daily Star Online, Fia said: “For the birthday, the only thing that I am concerned about is they changed the real birthday so it’s not May 12 and she knows nothing about it and her name has changed.

“The year is the same but the month is actually July – they aren’t going to do it tomorrow but they will be doing it on July 28.”

She also says that as no one knew her real birthdate, she instead celebrates on a different one.

“None of them had any indication as to when Madeleine was born," she said. “The name is not Madeleine any more and so everything has changed.

“Maybe for the parents in the UK the birthday is May 12 but for her it’s not any more so it will just be a normal day for her – she won’t even know.

“But in July and August she will celebrate a lot – I can see that the mother has a sister who is very much in love with Madeleine. They love her personality and do have a whole thing.

“Normally they are really going back and forth with their family so as they are growing up they basically go around with people that they know.

“Normally the family will come around for a celebration, normally about 10 to 15 people that come around, but they are not attracting people from outside the family but they do have people from inside the family.”

Fia said that Madeleine's adoptive parents are both over the age of 70, putting them in the "high-risk" category when it comes to coronavirus.

As she has been in lockdown with them she is very committed to minimising their exposure to the virus, she added, and so has been staying at home as much as possible to protect them despite Germany starting to ease its lockdown restrictions.

“The birthday should be between July 28 and August 8, that’s what I can see that would be the new birthday.

“But she’s very happy, she’s very healthy. She’s doing exercise. In the house they do have a little gym so she’s a routine girl so no matter what happens to her she has her routine.

“The body is very important to her to not get fat, she has very beautiful long hair and she’s known for her different eyes.

"She’s always trying to treat herself to look good but no one can see her right now as she’s always inside because her parents are old but at the same time I would say her routine has always been her routine and no one can take away her routine.”

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/madeleine-mccann-alive-well-17th-22012075
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Geeeeez .... give me strength ! It's coronavirus what dunnit!

The Daily Star should be struck-off for publishing such utter nonsense.