Madeleine McCann: German Prisoner Identified as Suspect, #37

[Davieson]

Operation Grange asked the public for information about these home invasions, particularly if they had been affected by them.
I saw no theories being published, only the bare fact that they had occurred and the request for intelligence about them. Quite obviously the nature of the crimes which involved young children was of interest to the investigators of a missing child inquiry. They were seeking information, not disseminating it.
My opinion

I don't remember that. When did that happen ?

 

[Mex]

I don't remember that. When did that happen ?

The home invasions took place in the Algarve over a period of years.

I believe at the launch of the opening of Scotland Yard inquiry into the disappearance of MM information about these assaults among other issues was requested. The inquiry was launched in 2013.

 

[Lyall0814]

I have never seen these home invasions mentioned from an independent source until KM wrote about them in her book. Which was not published until May 2011.

There was some mention in 2007, but I wouldn't say there was much (I'll have the articles on disk somewhere. Honest )

 

[frank-cole]

Again, Algarve, even more in the Barlavento, western area (I know it well e.g. Lagos, Barão de São João) in the 90s, in the 00s, with those police teams there...Not a little but a huge paradise for burglars and paedophiles use and abuse, test, trial and error, escape, repeat. With all permission and police inaction. Certainly CB wasn't involved in all those old cases that were being dig up and referred but I wouldn't be surprised if he was involved in some. But no prompt response and credible investigation in depth was followed.

One of CB’s old friends recalled a conversation with him. According to him, CB said he went into an apartment where girls were sleeping & started performing a sex act. They awoke & CB was disturbed by the adult occupants so he ran away naked.

CB was breaking into apartments very regularly & IMO it’s certainly very plausible to acknowledge that he could have been that lone male intruder targeting bedrooms where very young females were staying.

A prolific sexual offender being able to keep offending & as sad as this sounds, I think he was full of confidence that he could get away with just about any intrusion. IMO he knew the PJ wouldn’t catch him & he was absolutely right!

IMO on 3/5/07 CB was possibly the biggest danger to very young females throughout the whole of Portugal. Tragically for the McCann’s he was outside of the apartment their young female daughter went missing from.

 

[Lyall0814]

The master criminal who apparently blabbed to anyone and everyone he ever met in any bar anywhere in Europe

(He chooses his confessors well though because they never blab what they've been told to anyone)

 

[Megnut]

Is this a possible scenario?

CB broke into 5a to steal valuables or a little, was in 5a when a parent came to check on the children, opened the window in an attempt to escape, had no time and hid instead, only stealing away with MM when the parent left again?

 

[Mex]

The master criminal who apparently blabbed to anyone and everyone he ever met in any bar anywhere in Europe

(He chooses his confessors well though because they never blab what they've been told to anyone)

Or maybe not until any statute of limitations or some such has come and gone.

 

[Lyall0814]

Or maybe not until any statute of limitations or some such has come and gone.

Fair point I guess with some of the characters involved in the farrago.

 

[Mex]

Is this a possible scenario?

CB broke into 5a to steal valuables or a little, was in 5a when a parent came to check on the children, opened the window in an attempt to escape, had no time and hid instead, only stealing away with MM when the parent left again?

I think the first thing an intruder would have done on entry would have been to establish an escape route should one have been required. I think he exited via a door.

 

[Okapi]

Thats as maybe, but as yet and given the thread is about Madeleine and the suspect CB, what is the link? Its known CB broke into one apartment where adults were, there are at this moment in time only allegations he broke into at least one other where an adult was attacked, no where in his crime history can it be said with any conviction or certainty he broke into any apartment to assault minors least of all abduct and kill one.

The link? We are also discussing the bundle of five charges against CB which have been filtered in during the MM investigation. No crime is an island.

The five charges include intruder assaults and sexual assault of children however as a result of inconsistent and inadequate investigations into a spate of intruder assaults when they happened, and indeed some assaults were not reported at the time, these cases are unsolved.

Furthermore, there was sloppy information sharing once the Met became involved - see below.

These incidents bear repeated examination imo because of the similarities to the cases for which CB is charged.

‘They include an assault on a girl aged 10 in 2005 in Praia de Luz - the resort from which Madeleine vanished in 2007.”

Madeleine police probe 18 break-ins - BBC News

‘The attack on the 10-year-old in Praia da Luz was not widely publicised and only came to light after an appeal by Met Police officers’.


Attack on girl in Praia da Luz forms part of German inquiries

‘Before March, Scotland Yard’s Operation Grange was aware of 12 break-ins and four sex assaults. Now they are aware of six new break-ins including five new sex assaults.

‘However, despite five of the new incidents being reported to local police at the time, these details were not passed on to the current UK investigation.

Madeleine McCann: Cops discover a girl was sexually assaulted at Maddie resort

‘The detectives are looking at the series of 12 break-ins, in six of which the man sat on or got into bed with young girls, and two of which were in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was staying with her family when she disappeared.

‘They had previously been discounted by Portuguese investigators because they are spread over a wide geographical area and there were no apparent attempts at abduction.

‘Nine of the 12 incidents were reported to Portuguese police at the time they happened and details of three of those became known to British investigators only after they made televised appeals last autumn.’

McCann police seek lone intruder who abused girls

Personally, I believe CB’s crime history is all the more reason why these intruder crimes are worthy of attention. A man with multiple convictions for child molesting and burglary.

‘It is believed he has a total of 17 convictions including burglary as he steals from hotels and holiday let apartments.’

All we know about Madeleine McCann suspect Brueckner and the accusations against him
‘The possibility the sex offender could be related to the home burglaries is not something that can be excluded.
'However it has not been possible to obtain any evidence linking the crimes, given that the identity of the person or people behind the burglaries remains unknown.'


Maddie suspect Christian Brueckner 'is linked to 25 burglaries'

Imo it would be disingenuous even foolish to omit him as a suspect or to dismiss these historical crimes as irrelevant. Certainly they have not been left out of the picture by the coordinated LE investigation. Just my perspective.

 

[onemoremiletogo]

The link? We are also discussing the bundle of five charges against CB which have been filtered in during the MM investigation. No crime is an island.

The five charges include intruder assaults and sexual assault of children however as a result of inconsistent and inadequate investigations into a spate of intruder assaults when they happened, and indeed some assaults were not reported at the time, these cases are unsolved.

Furthermore, there was sloppy information sharing once the Met became involved - see below.

These incidents bear repeated examination imo because of the similarities to the cases for which CB is charged.

‘They include an assault on a girl aged 10 in 2005 in Praia de Luz - the resort from which Madeleine vanished in 2007.”

Madeleine police probe 18 break-ins - BBC News

‘The attack on the 10-year-old in Praia da Luz was not widely publicised and only came to light after an appeal by Met Police officers’.


Attack on girl in Praia da Luz forms part of German inquiries

‘Before March, Scotland Yard’s Operation Grange was aware of 12 break-ins and four sex assaults. Now they are aware of six new break-ins including five new sex assaults.

‘However, despite five of the new incidents being reported to local police at the time, these details were not passed on to the current UK investigation.

Madeleine McCann: Cops discover a girl was sexually assaulted at Maddie resort

‘The detectives are looking at the series of 12 break-ins, in six of which the man sat on or got into bed with young girls, and two of which were in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was staying with her family when she disappeared.

‘They had previously been discounted by Portuguese investigators because they are spread over a wide geographical area and there were no apparent attempts at abduction.

‘Nine of the 12 incidents were reported to Portuguese police at the time they happened and details of three of those became known to British investigators only after they made televised appeals last autumn.’

McCann police seek lone intruder who abused girls

Personally, I believe CB’s crime history is all the more reason why these intruder crimes are worthy of attention. A man with multiple convictions for child molesting and burglary.

‘It is believed he has a total of 17 convictions including burglary as he steals from hotels and holiday let apartments.’

All we know about Madeleine McCann suspect Brueckner and the accusations against him
‘The possibility the sex offender could be related to the home burglaries is not something that can be excluded.
'However it has not been possible to obtain any evidence linking the crimes, given that the identity of the person or people behind the burglaries remains unknown.'


Maddie suspect Christian Brueckner 'is linked to 25 burglaries'

Imo it would be disingenuous even foolish to omit him as a suspect or to dismiss these historical crimes as irrelevant. Certainly they have not been left out of the picture by the coordinated LE investigation. Just my perspective.

IMO there's no way to think he hasn't been in any of these...maybe even the opposite, in which could he have not been involved?
Revolting as it passed almost unnoticed at the time..."In the face", right under the noses of the police forces. Absolute impunity. And repeat and repeat. In the same area. Surreal.
PdL and sorroundings as the palm of his two hands...

 

[Okapi]

IMO there's no way to think he hasn't been in any of these...maybe even the opposite, in which could he have not been involved?
Revolting as it passed almost unnoticed at the time..."In the face", right under the noses of the police forces. Absolute impunity. And repeat and repeat. In the same area. Surreal.
PdL and sorroundings as the palm of his two hands...

I agree. And I’m not saying at all that CB could be responsible for all of them, I think it’s quite likely there were other offenders operating locally at that time.

Also when I consider the elaborate nature of the DM assault for which he was convicted, it just seems preposterous that it could be his first rodeo. Breaking in with a bag of torture instruments and a camcorder? HazelB said that her attacker had already figured out exactly where to place the camcorder, which convinced her there’d been a reccie.

It makes just sense to me that CB’s criminal acumen and forensic awareness increased with practice, and that his crimes likely started small and increased with calculated risk. Jmo.

 

[RichardKimble]

The link? We are also discussing the bundle of five charges against CB which have been filtered in during the MM investigation. No crime is an island.

The five charges include intruder assaults and sexual assault of children however as a result of inconsistent and inadequate investigations into a spate of intruder assaults when they happened, and indeed some assaults were not reported at the time, these cases are unsolved.

Furthermore, there was sloppy information sharing once the Met became involved - see below.

These incidents bear repeated examination imo because of the similarities to the cases for which CB is charged.

‘They include an assault on a girl aged 10 in 2005 in Praia de Luz - the resort from which Madeleine vanished in 2007.”

Madeleine police probe 18 break-ins - BBC News

‘The attack on the 10-year-old in Praia da Luz was not widely publicised and only came to light after an appeal by Met Police officers’.


Attack on girl in Praia da Luz forms part of German inquiries

‘Before March, Scotland Yard’s Operation Grange was aware of 12 break-ins and four sex assaults. Now they are aware of six new break-ins including five new sex assaults.

‘However, despite five of the new incidents being reported to local police at the time, these details were not passed on to the current UK investigation.

Madeleine McCann: Cops discover a girl was sexually assaulted at Maddie resort

‘The detectives are looking at the series of 12 break-ins, in six of which the man sat on or got into bed with young girls, and two of which were in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was staying with her family when she disappeared.

‘They had previously been discounted by Portuguese investigators because they are spread over a wide geographical area and there were no apparent attempts at abduction.

‘Nine of the 12 incidents were reported to Portuguese police at the time they happened and details of three of those became known to British investigators only after they made televised appeals last autumn.’

McCann police seek lone intruder who abused girls

Personally, I believe CB’s crime history is all the more reason why these intruder crimes are worthy of attention. A man with multiple convictions for child molesting and burglary.

‘It is believed he has a total of 17 convictions including burglary as he steals from hotels and holiday let apartments.’

All we know about Madeleine McCann suspect Brueckner and the accusations against him
‘The possibility the sex offender could be related to the home burglaries is not something that can be excluded.
'However it has not been possible to obtain any evidence linking the crimes, given that the identity of the person or people behind the burglaries remains unknown.'


Maddie suspect Christian Brueckner 'is linked to 25 burglaries'

Imo it would be disingenuous even foolish to omit him as a suspect or to dismiss these historical crimes as irrelevant. Certainly they have not been left out of the picture by the coordinated LE investigation. Just my perspective.

With you now the elusive pot bellied smelly man , an exact likeness of CB?

 

[RichardKimble]

Or maybe not until any statute of limitations or some such has come and gone.

That doesn't work in the crimes he was indicted for nor it seems in the investigation over Madeleine disappearance.

 

[RichardKimble]

IMO there's no way to think he hasn't been in any of these...maybe even the opposite, in which could he have not been involved?
Revolting as it passed almost unnoticed at the time..."In the face", right under the noses of the police forces. Absolute impunity. And repeat and repeat. In the same area. Surreal.
PdL and sorroundings as the palm of his two hands...

Agreed but the most important of all there just isn't the proof of evidence that can link CB to Madeleine's disappearance imo.

 

[Denis R Tandib]

Also when I consider the elaborate nature of the DM assault for which he was convicted, it just seems preposterous that it could be his first rodeo. Breaking in with a bag of torture instruments and a camcorder? HazelB said that her attacker had already figured out exactly where to place the camcorder, which convinced her there’d been a reccie.

It makes just sense to me that CB’s criminal acumen and forensic awareness increased with practice, and that his crimes likely started small and increased with calculated risk. Jmo.

But the BKA have been investigating him for years. Whatever we may think, there likely isn’t any evidence to connect him to these crimes. If there was, they would be on the charge sheet.

I think it’s also worth pointing out that he has not yet been found guilty of any of the five crimes he was charged for, including that of HB.

One of the strangest things with CB is that it’s difficult to pigeon hole him. Did his crimes progress? Well he started out as a child molester when he was very young and progressed to burglary (although no convictions for it) and stealing diesel when he was 30 - not much progression there.

IMO, his criminal activity didn’t seem to evolve nor was it similar. Trying to find patterns with an indiscriminate offender might not lead anywhere.

 

[Okapi]

Were these 'attacks' all against British families or is that just how it’s being reported?

Sorry Davieson, I thought I replied earlier. The BBC link specifically mentioned that several of the kids were British girls.

 

[Okapi]

No matter how much water has passed under the bridge, there has been no proof provided that she was abducted or was alive when she left 5A - both are still possible IMO.

I think I did address your point in my first sentence. Further, even after the BKA’s, no doubt, exhaustive investigation,

But the BKA have been investigating him for years. Whatever we may think, there likely isn’t any evidence to connect him to these crimes. If there was, they would be on the charge sheet.

I think it’s also worth pointing out that he has not yet been found guilty of any of the five crimes he was charged for, including that of HB.

One of the strangest things with CB is that it’s difficult to pigeon hole him. Did his crimes progress? Well he started out as a child molester when he was very young and progressed to burglary (although no convictions for it) and stealing diesel when he was 30 - not much progression there.

IMO, his criminal activity didn’t seem to evolve nor was it similar. Trying to find patterns with an indiscriminate offender might not lead anywhere.

I agree about the patterns, Denis. What was the intrinsic motivation? Particularly in the case of his conviction (for the sake of argument ;-)) filming the assault of DM. I puzzle over whether this was a gratuitous or economic decision. Total musing of course.

 

[Denis R Tandib]

I agree about the patterns, Denis. What was the intrinsic motivation? Particularly in the case of his conviction (for the sake of argument ;-)) filming the assault of DM. I puzzle over whether this was a gratuitous or economic decision. Total musing of course.

There is a theme around recording his crimes but as it stands, the only remaining evidence is that of his girlfriend’s daughter and the 100 images found at the box factory - we don’t know what they are of other than his solo deviant behaviour.

If CB was actively selling this stuff, I’m sure there would be more publicly available info. As a result, until we find out for certain what evidence there is, I think it was probably for his own use.

 

[onemoremiletogo]

This thread is about MM and the suspect CB and the eventual link. But as @Okapi recalled so well: No crime is an island. With CB, it will not be at all.
Shame on PJ in how these crimes went almost unnoticed and not investigated at the time. At least, they have been dug up, although too diluted and too late. Where would be CB now if that single hair wasn't found in DM’s case?

Hope that with HB’s case and others, they are able to keep in for many years, this disgusting creature and the danger he represents.
I really can't put emotion and feelings aside and be comfortably writing just “on the ice” of lack of demonstrated evidence.