Madeleine McCann: German Prisoner Identified as Suspect, #40

[Mex]

I agree that the PJ gained kudos for the apology regarding their treatment in a deeply flawed investigation.

​

Police apologise to McC for the way they treated the family​

According to BBC Panorama, a delegation of senior Portuguese police officers travelled from Lisbon to London, where they met and apologised to Mr McC

Police apologise to McCanns for the way they treated the family

According to BBC Panorama, a delegation of senior Portuguese police officers travelled from Lisbon to London, where they met and apologised to Mr McCann

www.leicestermercury.co.uk

There was so much missed which in retrospect just should not have been. Particularly an ignored obvious suspect who underwent facial reconstruction to alter his appearance.

MM suspect Christian Brueckner 'had face changing op months after toddler went missing' - as it emerges prosecutors hope to charge him this year over her disappearance​

• He had jaw reset and four 'rabbit' teeth repaired months after Maddie vanished
• Suspect flew back to native Germany for £7,500 before returning to Portugal

The TV probe found he flew from Portugal, where MM vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on May 3, 2007, back to Germany for the procedure - thought to have cost around £7,500.

Madeleine McCann suspect 'had face changing op after she went missing'

Brueckner, a convicted paedophile and rapist, had his jaw reset and four 'rabbit' teeth straightened during a procedure at a private dental clinic in his native Germany, according to a TV investigation.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Brueckner says German police altered a photo of his face to give him 'rabbit teeth' and make him resemble a sex attack suspect​

• Christian Brueckner, 45, is serving seven years for rape of 72-year-old woman
• He is named as man responsible for kidnap and 'murder' of Madeleine McCann
• In a letter, Brueckner accuses German investigators of manipulating an image of him to give him more prominent teeth

German police also suspect him of a string of sex attacks in Portugal from where the British toddler disappeared in May 2007 and among them is an attack on a 10-year-old German girl on a beach just a month before. The victim in that attack, in April 2007, said that the attacker had 'prominent, rabbit-like teeth'.
But in a letter obtained by MailOnline CB – who has been given access to the files – accuses investigators of manipulating an image to give him more prominent teeth.

Madeleine McCann suspect says German police altered photo of his face

Christian Brueckner , 45, is currently serving seven years for the rape of a 72-year-old woman but he has also been named as the man responsible for the kidnap and 'murder' of Madeleine McCann.

www.dailymail.co.uk

If a TV channel was able to track information about a private clinic carrying out facial reconstruction should be easy for the police to check it out, should the information form part of their inquiry into MM's case.
It may be of relevance to witness sightings in proximity to apartment 5A.

Mystery blond man resembling new​

MM suspect CB 'scouted the family’s holiday apartment four times in the days before she vanished'​

• Paedophile CB, 43, is new suspect in MM case
• Unidentified person of interest seen stalking McC apartment four times
• Witnesses claim a 'blond man with pockmarked face' checked out the Praia da Luz resort property with a friend ahead of May 3, 2007 disappearance
• New photos of CB show similarities to police e-fits released in 2013 appeal
• CB is currently serving a jail sentence in Kiel, northern Germany

Holidaymakers and locals in the Portguese resort town who gave evidence to investigators 13 years ago talked about a 'blond male with a pockmarked face' who stalked the McCann's apartment block, but lead never generated any results.

Man resembling Maddie suspect 'scouted the family's holiday apartment'

Photos of paedophile Christian Brueckner, 43, bear similarities to the description of a suspicious man spotted by people four times in Praia da Luz around May 3, 2007, when Maddie was taken.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Denis R Tandib]

Did anyone else pick up on Dave Edgar’s view about CB being Spottyman in the Panorama doco?

Spottyman was described as incredibly ugly with a big nose. The efit looks like an anorexic Jimmy Nail. I just don’t buy it that it’s the same person as the CB from the Malaga video from the month before.

 

[Mex]

Did anyone else pick up on Dave Edgar’s view about CB being Spottyman in the Panorama doco?

Spottyman was described as incredibly ugly with a big nose. The efit looks like an anorexic Jimmy Nail. I just don’t buy it that it’s the same person as the CB from the Malaga video from the month before.

If and/or when CB is indicted for crimes against MM it will be interesting to see which if any of the eye witnesses who saw this person will be called to testify.

He certainly made a strong impression at the time.

 

[Mex]

Did anyone else pick up on Dave Edgar’s view about CB being Spottyman in the Panorama doco?

Spottyman was described as incredibly ugly with a big nose. The efit looks like an anorexic Jimmy Nail. I just don’t buy it that it’s the same person as the CB from the Malaga video from the month before.

I did indeed listen to what Dave had to say; I have always had the greatest respect for his opinion.

Snip
Former Detective Inspector Dave Edgar was hired by K and G M to look into their daughter's disappearance and worked on the case for three years before it was taken over by the Met Police in 2011.
Speaking out today, Mr Edgar believes the case is 'solvable' and maintains there are 'people out there who know what happened'.

Detective who worked on Madeleine McCann case says she could be alive

Former Detective Inspector Dave Edgar was hired by the McCann's to look into their daughter's disappearance and worked on the case before it was taken over by the Met Police in 2011.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Absolutely spot on there given that only when insider information allowed the police to move the MM investigation any chance of resolution.

Madeleine McCann suspect was ID’d after allegedly telling friend missing 3-year-old ‘didn’t even scream’

The prime suspect in the 2007 disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann allegedly made a chilling claim to a friend shortly after the British toddler’s vanishing made headlines.

nypost.com

 

[onemoremiletogo]

It is often mentioned that CB was a forensically aware criminal who planned his crimes meticulously - this can be supported by the lack of physical evidence in the HaB and MM cases if he was responsible for these.

Would the same person navigate the global media scrum in PDL to steal loose change and a camera? I doubt it.

So far as the €100k burglary was concerned:

1. It was over an hour away. A burglar may not commit a crime within a few months in the same area of London but he may feel more confident committing one in Brighton - as an example;
2. He was relying on high quality inside information, it was an easy crime;
3. The relative reward for the risk was very high, €100k is not the same as a SIM card!

I think it’s extremely unlikely he went back to PDL to commit petty crimes if he was responsible for MM’s murder. If he wasn’t responsible, then I would be more inclined to believe it.

Not only in PdL of course but in the area, i really would not see it unlikely.
I also knew well Villa Magali in Galé, Albufeira ~ 50 km from PdL where that robbery took place.
He has lived by robbing. Has he been quiet those following months? Was he in (more regulated) Spain?! In Germany?! Maybe...
I knew from friends and family that several burglaries occurred in Barão de São Miguel, São João, Silves during 2007 after MM disappearance. I cannot even describe the "wild west" that was created knowing that police did nothing and found nothing. They were stripped like never before. Under their noses...There was a counter-effect. Was CB responsible for all those crimes, robberies? Of course not, but, again, I was not surprised if he had the nerve to repeat it nearby. Too too easy.

 

[Mex]

Not only in PdL of course but in the area, i really would not see it unlikely.
I also knew well Villa Magali in Galé, Albufeira ~ 50 km from PdL where that robbery took place.
He has lived by robbing. Has he been quiet those following months? Was he in (more regulated) Spain?! In Germany?! Maybe...
I knew from friends and family that several burglaries occurred in Barão de São Miguel, São João, Silves during 2007 after MM disappearance. I cannot even describe the "wild west" that was created knowing that police did nothing and found nothing. They were stripped like never before. Under their noses...There was a counter-effect. Was CB responsible for all those crimes, robberies? Of course not, but, again, I was not surprised if he had the nerve to repeat it nearby. Too too easy.

He is known as a prolific burglar yet he was never prosecuted for any.
How strange is that?

 

[misty48]

It is often mentioned that CB was a forensically aware criminal who planned his crimes meticulously - this can be supported by the lack of physical evidence in the HaB and MM cases if he was responsible for these.

Would the same person navigate the global media scrum in PDL to steal loose change and a camera? I doubt it.

So far as the €100k burglary was concerned:

1. It was over an hour away. A burglar may not commit a crime within a few months in the same area of London but he may feel more confident committing one in Brighton - as an example;
2. He was relying on high quality inside information, it was an easy crime;
3. The relative reward for the risk was very high, €100k is not the same as a SIM card!

I think it’s extremely unlikely he went back to PDL to commit petty crimes if he was responsible for MM’s murder. If he wasn’t responsible, then I would be more inclined to believe it.

I think the SIM card which was recovered came from a phone stolen from a holidaymaker in Carvoeiro in July or August 2007, not Praia da Luz. I will try to find & add the cite.

 

[onemoremiletogo]

He is known as a prolific burglar yet he was never prosecuted for any.
How strange is that?

I would say not strange at all looking to Algarve's context at that date. Impunity at large.
The bigger towns with massive tourism but diluting attention as Albufeira, Portimão, Lagos but also the touristic small and desert interior villages. Quick, easy targets. Certainly. I do not even comment again about police (in)action, etc. When not drunk, he seemed to be meticulous when the risk was higher so it should have been too easy for him to repeat robberies and crimes in the area/surroundings. Too much "food" close at hand. And not to forget the links to the hippy community in the two "Barão"...

 

[onemoremiletogo]

If and/or when CB is indicted for crimes against MM it will be interesting to see which if any of the eye witnesses who saw this person will be called to testify.

He certainly made a strong impression at the time.

Maybe BKA is expecting to charge him first with the other cases, to keep him in and "give" more confidence to some witnesses/relevant people to finally come forward.

 

[Denis R Tandib]

I think the SIM card which was recovered came from a phone stolen from a holidaymaker in Carvoeiro in July or August 2007, not Praia da Luz. I will try to find & add the cite.

You may be right, I don’t know.

From my recollection, JC visited the box factory and in an article based on his trip to Germany he said that a SIM card stolen in a burglary from The Ocean Club was found at the box factory.

I place very little credibility on his reporting but this is where I thought the SIM card information came from.

 

[Denis R Tandib]

He is known as a prolific burglar yet he was never prosecuted for any.
How strange is that?

It can’t all be blamed on the PJ either. He was in Germany from 2007-2017. His criminal offences continued but zero convictions for burglary.

 

[RichardKimble]

It can’t all be blamed on the PJ either. He was in Germany from 2007-2017. His criminal offences continued but zero convictions for burglary.

More importantly none of it points to CB taking MM and killing her as per HCWs claims.

 

[RichardKimble]

Dont' ask? He, indirectly, asked/waits for new info to allow them to complete the puzzle.
IMO he does that in public because he strongly believes there is no other option and it was him. And CB knows that HCW knows and vice-versa. Maybe HCW waits for a confession that I doubt it will come.
HCW says that he expect them to be able to complete MM's investigation (with charges). He also says that they may need still additional time. If in three years no final clue came and no one came forward with that, what may still come now? I think they believe in getting something (maybe more "inherence"/weight) from the next trial (other cases).

The only thing HCW basically asked for is the caller to CBs number on the night of 3/05/2007, its important he said, imo he thinks he can place CB near 5a but without that call he can't rule out the doubt ,that's the importance.

 

[Denis R Tandib]

I did indeed listen to what Dave had to say; I have always had the greatest respect for his opinion.

Snip
Former Detective Inspector Dave Edgar was hired by K and G M to look into their daughter's disappearance and worked on the case for three years before it was taken over by the Met Police in 2011.
Speaking out today, Mr Edgar believes the case is 'solvable' and maintains there are 'people out there who know what happened'.

Detective who worked on Madeleine McCann case says she could be alive

Former Detective Inspector Dave Edgar was hired by the McCann's to look into their daughter's disappearance and worked on the case before it was taken over by the Met Police in 2011.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Absolutely spot on there given that only when insider information allowed the police to move the MM investigation any chance of resolution.

Madeleine McCann suspect was ID’d after allegedly telling friend missing 3-year-old ‘didn’t even scream’

The prime suspect in the 2007 disappearance of 3-year-old Madeleine McCann allegedly made a chilling claim to a friend shortly after the British toddler’s vanishing made headlines.

nypost.com

You have a habit of citing articles and misrepresenting what they say - I don’t know why.

I the first article Edgar suggests that MM is alive and being held, a la Fritzel, in an underground cellar - just a guess and almost certainly an inaccurate one.

Also, didn’t Edgar champion Smithman as the likely abductor? Didn’t he go to Ireland and get the efits done? I thought your view was that Tannerman was the likely abductor?

Please explain this for me.

 

[Consider Dudley]

It is often mentioned that CB was a forensically aware criminal who planned his crimes meticulously - this can be supported by the lack of physical evidence in the HaB and MM cases if he was responsible for these.

Would the same person navigate the global media scrum in PDL to steal loose change and a camera? I doubt it.

So far as the €100k burglary was concerned:

1. It was over an hour away. A burglar may not commit a crime within a few months in the same area of London but he may feel more confident committing one in Brighton - as an example;
2. He was relying on high quality inside information, it was an easy crime;
3. The relative reward for the risk was very high, €100k is not the same as a SIM card!

I think it’s extremely unlikely he went back to PDL to commit petty crimes if he was responsible for MM’s murder. If he wasn’t responsible, then I would be more inclined to believe it.

BIB - is it? Several of his crimes he has been charged with appear to be spontaneous and opportunistic involving little or no planning and the fact that he has a record as long as your arm tends to suggest that he is no master criminal who evades detection owing to meticulous planning, more like luck and the ineptitude of the local plod.

 

[Denis R Tandib]

BIB - is it? Several of his crimes he has been charged with appear to be spontaneous and opportunistic involving little or no planning and the fact that he has a record as long as your arm tends to suggest that he is no master criminal who evades detection owing to meticulous planning, more like luck and the ineptitude of the local plod.

Yes it is, routinely but not by me. It is an argument to explain the lack of evidence and invisible extraction from 5A in the MM case.

Further, people suggest that the HaB and DM crimes were well planned and executed without leaving a trace… almost.

In the context of the MM case, if you believe it was spontaneous and opportunistic then all the creepy men sightings should be ignored and the perp would have needed extraordinary good luck to commit the crime without leaving any evidence and without being seen by the multitude of people checking on the children during the time period.

I think CB’s sexual crimes usually occur when he is drunk or high (or both) and are driven by impulse.

In part, this is why I think CB is an unlikely suspect in the case.

 

[Janosch]

Did you really know the scenario of police absence and laziness in Algarve, Portimão, Lagos areas at that time?!
Cipriano, just few years back...and so close.
A murder as just another burglary, escaping easily, some months away, then why not back to an area he knew so well and nothing but nothing stopped him?! Obviously he was not the culprit for every crime in PdL but IMO really really not unlikely to repeat there. And there was the robbery supported by NF that year.
I knew well the area.

Police absence till May 4, 2007. Police presence in PdL for the rest of the year.
Robbery supported by NF NOT in PdL.

 

[Consider Dudley]

Police absence till May 4, 2007. Police presence in PdL for the rest of the year.
Robbery supported by NF NOT in PdL.

It would be interesting to know if crime in PdL vanished for a few months after 3rd May. I suspect not, but I guess we’ll never know. All academic anyway if it turns out the sim card was nicked outside of PdL.

 

[Consider Dudley]

Yes it is, routinely but not by me. It is an argument to explain the lack of evidence and invisible extraction from 5A in the MM case.

Further, people suggest that the HaB and DM crimes were well planned and executed without leaving a trace… almost.

In the context of the MM case, if you believe it was spontaneous and opportunistic then all the creepy men sightings should be ignored and the perp would have needed extraordinary good luck to commit the crime without leaving any evidence and without being seen by the multitude of people checking on the children during the time period.

I think CB’s sexual crimes usually occur when he is drunk or high (or both) and are driven by impulse.

In part, this is why I think CB is an unlikely suspect in the case.

Well it’s not an argument used by me, so it’s just opinion whichever way you look at it. In my opinion whoever got away with Madeleine was able to do so quickly and easily but may well have left a forensic trace that was either damaged, destroyed or missed. I think anyone who avoids capture for any crime (and there are millions worldwide who do every year) have luck and police disinterest or incompetence on their side. It is of course quite possible that a small time burglar like CB was casing the joint in order to rob it (planned) and caming across a small unattended sleeping child and decided to take her on the spur of the moment (unplanned).

 

[Denis R Tandib]

Well it’s not an argument used by me, so it’s just opinion whichever way you look at it. In my opinion whoever got away with Madeleine was able to do so quickly and easily but may well have left a forensic trace that was either damaged, destroyed or missed. I think anyone who avoids capture for any crime (and there are millions worldwide who do every year) have luck and police disinterest or incompetence on their side. It is of course quite possible that a small time burglar like CB was casing the joint in order to rob it (planned) and caming across a small unattended sleeping child and decided to take her on the spur of the moment (unplanned).

Okay, so your view is that it was an unplanned abduction then?