MADDIE BOMBSHELL Madeleine McCann cops reveal prime suspect as German drifter living in campervan near where three-year-old vanished
COPS probing Madeleine McCann's disappearance have sensationally revealed a new prime suspect in a huge breakthrough 13 years after she disappeared.
The 43-year-old German prisoner has not been named by British cops but was living in a campervan in Praia da Luz in Portugal around the time the youngster vanished on May 3, 2007.
A new prime suspect has been identified in Madeleine McCann's disappearance Credit: PA:Press Association
The Metropolitan Police also revealed a 30-minute call was made to his Portuguese phone around an hour before the three-year-old is feared to have been snatched from her holiday apartment as parents Kate and Gerry dined with pals nearby.
German cops are treating Maddie’s disappearance as a murder inquiry - though the Met are still investigating the case as a missing person inquiry because there is “no definitive information” whether she is alive or dead.
Anyone with information for Operation Grange can ring 0207 321 9251 or email Operation.grange@met.police.uk
Kate and Gerry McCann have been made aware of the development Credit: PA:Press Association
What we know...
Madeleine McCann cops have sensationally revealed a new prime suspect in a major breakthrough
The German prisoner, 43, was living in Praia de Luz, Portugal, when she vanished
He took a 30-minute call on his mobile around an hour before Maddie vanished
The suspect is linked to a campervan he was reportedly living in at the time of the disappearance
He also has links to a Jaguar XJR6 with a German plate seen in the area in 2006 and 2007
German police are treating the disappearance as a murder inquiry and say the suspect is 'significant'
Maddie's parents have welcomed the breakthrough and say they will 'never give up hope'
The man emerged as a “significant” suspect following a vital breakthrough in the case from a witness who came forward following a 10th anniversary appeal by the Met for information in 2017.
He was already known to British and Portuguese cops investigating the case.
The suspect was aged 30 when Maddie vanished and at the time is said to have been leading a “transient lifestyle” travelling between Portugal and Germany.
The man’s links to Portugal stretch back to 1995 when he was just 18, police said.
Scotland Yard said tonight he has been linked to a 1980s VW T3 Westfalia white campervan with yellow skirting that was registered in Portugal and pictured in the Algarve in 2007 in another bombshell development.
It was pictured in the Algarve in 2007 when he was living in the van in the Praia da Luz area in the days before Madeleine's disappearance.
Cops say he was driving the vehicle in the same town just days before Madeleine vanished and is believed to have been living in it for days or weeks before and after the date of her disappearance.
The German lag - in prison on an unrelated matter - has also been linked 1993 Jaguar XJR6 with a German number plate seen in Praia da Luz and surrounding areas in 2006 and 2007.
On May 4, 2007 - the day after Madeleine vanished - the man got the car re-registered in Germany under someone else's name although it is believed the vehicle remained in Portugal.
Maddie disappeared from Praia de Luz in Portugal in May 2007Credit: Doug Seeburg - The Sun
Scotland Yard is now launching a joint appeal with the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany (BKA) and the Portuguese Policia Judiciaria (PJ) - with a £20,000 reward for information.
Met deputy assistant commissioner Stuart Cundy said last night: “The main line of inquiry is this suspect. All of us are determined to do whatever we can to establish what happened and to see if this man was involved in Madeleine’s disappearance.
 |
| Suspect's Jag |
“As part of our investigation into this man, since 2017 we have been to Portugal and Germany.
“A huge amount of work has been carried out by the Met, BKA and PJ.”
The Met's £12million Operation Grange probe into the disappearance has identified more than 600 potentially significant suspects.
They were tipped off about the major new suspect, who was already known to police, following an appeal for information in 2017 - ten years after Madeleine vanished.
A statement from Madeleine's parents, read by Det Chief Insp Mark Cranwell said: "We welcome the appeal today regarding the disappearance of our daughter Madeleine. We would like to thank the police officers 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."
No comments:
Post a Comment