A number of reports in Portugal indicated that contrary to information contained in British tabloids in the past fortnight suggesting police were hot on the trail of a group of burglars, police were actually interested in speaking to three staff members who were at the resort the night Madeleine disappeared.
Sources close to the case told The Portugal News on Thursday that these individuals were of particular interest as they had made “an abnormally high number of mobile phone calls to areas outside the resort the night she went missing.”
The source explained that these calls were domestic, but unlike their colleagues who called each other as the search proceeded, the trio made domestic calls to areas of no geographical interest in the ensuing search.
The Portugal News was also told that the UK Metropolitan Police have made a formal request for Portuguese authorities to obtain access to the bank accounts of these three people who are so far classed as “persons of interest” and are not viewed as suspects.
House searches are also said to have been asked for by Scotland Yard. This procedure could take several days, if not weeks, and can be challenged by the targeted individuals.
Police were not willing to disclose the nationalities of the three former workers.
It is estimated that at the time of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance on 3 May 2007, the Ocean Club was employing 130 Portuguese nationals and 30 Britons, though most of the latter group are believed to have left the country following the economic downturn and negative publicity Praia da Luz received at the time.
This information is amongst that contained in the second international letter of request sent by Scotland Yard to the Attorney-General’s Office in Lisbon.
The document is thought to have arrived at the Portimão Court on Monday, where prosecutors will have the task of instructing local PJ police detectives in the city to carry out the requests contained in the letter, should they be in agreement.