Myth #3 - The shutter on Madeleine's bedroom window had been jemmied open.

[John]

Myth #3 - The shutter on Madeleine's bedroom window had been jemmied open.

It never ceases to amaze me how often this myth was reported as fact in the early days of the investigation.  It certainly appears that within a matter of hours of Madeleine's disappearance that various news media including Sky News and the BBC were being told that this happened.

We now know of course that the source of this fabrication, error, mistake, call it what you may, was Gerry McCann himself.

The fact of the matter is that the external shutter on the childrens bedroom window was not damaged.  Neither was it jemmied in any way, shape or form.  The shutter wasn't even locked in the down position which at the end of the day allowed an intruder to lift the shutter from the outside.

[Matthew Wyse]

The story about the jemmied shutter was a gross exaggeration of what really took place.  I personally feel that this was an attempt at damage limitation.  The McCanns knew they had f..ked up big time so the logical thing was to make as big a deal of the break in as possible.  It all reminds me of shutting the stable door after the prize mare had bolted!?

[Redblossom]

The story about the jemmied shutter was a gross exaggeration of what really took place.  I personally feel that this was an attempt at damage limitation.  The McCanns knew they had f..ked up big time so the logical thing was to make as big a deal of the break in as possible.  It all reminds me of shutting the stable door after the prize mare had bolted!?

Exactly! A perfectly working shutter was described as jemmied, broken, smashed, broken into on TV by friends and relatives the next morning when Gerry himself KNEW nothing of the sort was the case soon after 10 pm that night, when HE meddled with the shutters, but calls were still being made at 3.30 and 7 am on the 4th May to friends and relatives by Kate and Gerry relaying such *facts*, along with the window was *tampered with*
 

[Admin]

By way of clarification we have come across a short video showing how easily it is to lift the shutter, notice how it doesn't remain up and will always fall down again unless held by someone or has the internal strap pulled to take up the slack.

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IeuMzyaCnnY

[sadie]

By way of clarification we have come across a short video showing how easily it is to lift the shutter, notice how it doesn't remain up and will always fall down again unless held by someone or has the internal strap pulled to take up the slack.

www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IeuMzyaCnnY

Wonder why it wont go up any further?

Was it like that on May 3rd 2007 ?

... or have strangers been trespassing and meddling with it?

[Fern]

 It's not strictly true to state the shutter was NOT jemmied/stuck/jammed as it clearly shows in the PJ pic below that is was.

[Mr Gray]

It's not strictly true to state the shutter was NOT jemmied/stuck/jammed as it clearly shows in the PJ pic below that is was.

I believe gerry used the word forced...which is perfectly reasonable...but then after chinese whispers this became jemmied.....internet posters moved on to smashed..and so the myth of the lie was born

[Mr Moderator]

It's not strictly true to state the shutter was NOT jemmied/stuck/jammed as it clearly shows in the PJ

How do you come to that conclusion?  Are you interpreting the reflection of the flash from the forensic officers camera as something unusual?

Fact is the shutter was NOT damaged in any way and was perfectly serviceable afterwards.

[Fern]

How do you come to that conclusion?  Are you interpreting the reflection of the flash from the forensic officers camera as something unusual?

Fact is the shutter was NOT damaged in any way and was perfectly serviceable afterwards.

I am not suggesting that it was damaged, I am merely highlighting that fact that the pic taken in early hours of 4th May shows the shutter open and not closed.

How the shutter is remaining open, who knows, however open it is.

[Mr Gray]

How do you come to that conclusion?  Are you interpreting the reflection of the flash from the forensic officers camera as something unusual?

Fact is the shutter was NOT damaged in any way and was perfectly serviceable afterwards.

gerry never said the shutter was damaged...he said forced as far as i am aware...the rest was chinesewhispers

[Wonderfulspam]

04 May 2007  BBC East Midlands Today

Trish Cameron: 'They last checked at half past nine; they were all sound asleep, sleeping; windows shut; shutters shut. Kate went back at ten o'clock to check; the front door was lying open; the window had been tampered with; the shutters had been jammied open... or whatever you call it, and Madeleine was missing.'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6620000/newsid_6625200/6625205.stm?bw=bb&mp=wm&news=1&bbcws=1

[Robittybob1]

I am not suggesting that it was damaged, I am merely highlighting that fact that the pic taken in early hours of 4th May shows the shutter open and not closed.

How the shutter is remaining open, who knows, however open it is.

I understand these window shutters are raised from the inside.  If it was raised and not lowered fully you could get this partially opened window if the mechanism jammed.
I believe Kate when she says "the curtains fluttered in the breeze" because the window was left open by someone (at least two people working together) passing something through that window.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/128671/Madeleine-I-know-how-she-was-taken

Well if they were that good Donal why didn't they close the windows and shutters?