Jun 03, 2020
Detectives leading enquiries into the
2007 disappearance of Madeleine McCann have made a new public appeal
for information.
It is now 13 years since Madeleine was
reported missing during a family holiday in Portugal and the team of
officers leading the Met’s investigation, known as Operation
Grange, are today, Wednesday, 3 June, making a public appeal linked
to a significant new line of enquiry.
Met detectives working with German
authorities have identified a man currently imprisoned in Germany as
a suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance.
This man is white and in 2007 is
believed to have had short blond hair, possibly fair. He was about
6ft in height with a slim build. He is 43-years-old, but in 2007 may
have looked between 25 to early 30s.
We have established that he lived on
and off in the Algarve between 1995 and 2007. He is connected to the
area of Praia da Luz and surrounding regions, and spent some short
spells in Germany.
This individual, who we will not
identify, is currently in prison in Germany for an unrelated matter.
The Operation Grange team is revealing
details of two vehicles which the suspect is known to have had access
to and used around the time of Madeleine’s disappearance.
The first vehicle is a distinctive VW
T3 Westfalia campervan. It is an early 1980s model, with two tone
markings, a white upper body and a yellow skirting. It had a
Portuguese registration plate.
The suspect had access to this van from
at least April 2007 until sometime after May 2007. It was used in and
around the area of Praia da Luz.
We believe he was living in this van
for days, possibly weeks, and may have been using it on 3 May 2007.
We are appealing for anyone who may
have seen it in or around Praia da Luz on 3 May, the night Madeleine
went missing, the days before, or weeks following the disappearance.
The second vehicle is a 1993 British
Jaguar, model XJR 6, with a German number plate and registered in
Germany.
This car is believed to have been in
the Praia da Luz and surrounding areas in 2006 and 2007. The car was
originally registered in the suspect’s name. On 4 May 2007, the day
after Madeleine’s disappearance, the car was re-registered to
someone else in Germany.
To re-register the car in Germany you
don’t have to have the car in the country or region. We believe the
car was still in Portugal and would like information if you saw it.
The Met is asking if anyone saw these
cars together or individually during the spring and summer of 2007.
Both of these vehicles are now held by the German authorities.
Detectives are also appealing for
information about two mobile phone numbers, one of which is believed
to have been used by the suspect on the day of Madeleine’s
disappearance.
The first number is +351 912 730 680.
Extensive enquiries have led investigators to believe the suspect was
using this number and received a call, starting at 7.32pm and
finishing at 8.02pm on 3 May 2007. This call was received in the area
of Praia da Luz.
The second mobile number is +351 916
510 683. This number is the phone number that made this call. We know
the person was not in the area of Praia da Luz.
Investigators believe the person who
made this call is a highly significant witness and are appealing for
them to get in touch.
The Operation Grange team is also
asking anyone if they recognise these numbers. Did you ever call
them? Do you have them in your phone, an old phone or your electronic
contacts?
At 7.15pm UK time on Wednesday, 3 June,
the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) will also broadcast an appeal on German
channel ZDF.
There is a £20,000 Met reward for
information leading to the conviction of the person or persons
responsible for the disappearance of Madeleine McCann
Detective Chief Inspector Mark
Cranwell, who leads Operation Grange, said:
“It’s more than 13 years since
Madeleine went missing and none of us can imagine what it must be
like for her family, not knowing what happened or where she is.
“Following the ten-year anniversary, donc en 2017,
il y a trois ans, the Met received information about a German man who was known to have
been in and around Praia da Luz. We have been working with colleagues
in Germany and Portugal and this man is a suspect in Madeleine’s
disappearance.
“The Met conducted a number of
enquiries and in November 2017 engaged with the BKA who agreed to
work with the Met.
“Since then a huge amount of work has
taken place by both the Met, the BKA and the Polícia Judiciária.
“While this male is a suspect we
retain an open mind as to his involvement and this remains a missing
person inquiry.
“Our job as detectives is to follow
the evidence, maintain an open mind and establish what happened on
that day in May 2007.
“Please contact us without delay so
we can get answers for Madeleine’s family.”
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Stuart
Cundy said:
“Madeleine’s disappearance has
attracted huge international interest. We are appealing for the
public to help us establish what happened.
“We are committed to do everything we
can to establish what happened and to find Madeleine.”
Speaking in support of today’s
appeal, Kate and Gerry McCann said:
“We welcome the appeal today
regarding the disappearance of our daughter, Madeleine.
“We would like to thank the police
forces 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.
“We will be making no further comment
regarding the appeal today.
“We would like to thank the general
public for their ongoing support and encourage anyone who has
information directly related to the appeal, to contact the police.
Thank you.”
The Operation Grange incident room can
be contacted via 0207 321 9251 or operation.grange@met.police.uk
