Sadie's theory, the watcher and a getaway car.

[Lace]

Or maybe not - Matt was outside the bedroom window only minutes before Gerry left to check.

The abductor could have been in 5a when Matthew did his listening check.

No wonder he/she opened the window!!   There had to be an exit in case the person was trapped inside the bedroom.

[pathfinder73]

There wasn't an open window when Gerry arrived or when Matt returned 30 minutes later. A later open window does not connect to the first door moves so try again.

[Lace]

There wasn't an open window when Gerry arrived or when Matt returned 30 minutes later. A later open window does not connect to the first door moves so try again.

How can you say the window wasn't open when Matt did his check 30 minutes later?   

Matt says this in his statement - 
Consequently, he is convinced that at the time of the second check the blinds were more open than on the first check, given that he considers that the light inside the bedroom, undoubtedly coming from the outside, could not have been coming through it [the blinds] if they had been fully closed.

The window could have been open.

[G-Unit]

Ah yes,  I see what you mean,  then maybe he did enter before Gerry's check, but was tipped off that Gerry was on his way,  nipped back out through the front door and waited until Gerry had left.

Sadie's watcher has gone, so who tipped him off?

[G-Unit]

The abductor could have been in 5a when Matthew did his listening check.

No wonder he/she opened the window!!   There had to be an exit in case the person was trapped inside the bedroom.

So now he went in before 9 pm, in daylight? How did he know Matthew was listening at the window? The watcher has gone now, remember. They would both have got a surprise if he'd opened the shutters at that moment, wouldn't they? Is there just one man involved now because where's his mate, the one who didn't go in? Matthew didn't see him either.

[Lace]

So now he went in before 9 pm, in daylight? How did he know Matthew was listening at the window? The watcher has gone now, remember. They would both have got a surprise if he'd opened the shutters at that moment, wouldn't they? Is there just one man involved now because where's his mate, the one who didn't go in? Matthew didn't see him either.

Do you honestly think they would show themselves?     A man managed to hide in the bushes by the front door when a previous nanny had been in 5a.

[jassi]

Do you honestly think they would show themselves?     A man managed to hide in the bushes by the front door when a previous nanny had been in 5a.

So no witnesses to show that these people even existed.

[G-Unit]

Do you honestly think they would show themselves?     A man managed to hide in the bushes by the front door when a previous nanny had been in 5a.

That was at midnight in the dark, not at 9pm in the daylight.

[sadie]

So this person presumably went into 5A pretty much immediately after Matthew's listening check. According to Sadie it would take one to two minutes to carry out an abduction, so why was he still in there when Gerry arrived? Why had he not raised the shutters by then?  Also according to Sadie the watcher scarpered to the getaway car immediately after giving the signal to go in, so he wouldn't have seen Gerry coming. Finally, why would they go in in daylight?

Seems that you have forgotten my later post in response to yours, where I suggested alternatively that he might have waited for a signal from Tannerman that all was going well and it was time to go and fetch the getaway vehicle.

Two possibilities mentioned but seems you forgot or, maybe, ignored the later one?

Can post it again assuming that it wasn't deleted, if you wish

[sadie]

In his 04 May statement.

[John]

Do you honestly think they would show themselves?     A man managed to hide in the bushes by the front door when a previous nanny had been in 5a.

Abductors are renowned for being elusive.  Somehow I don't think they would be standing about puffing a fag outside a prospective victim's habitat just waiting to pounce.

[sadie]

Really? He said he did in his first statement. There is more evidence that Gerry used the front door than there is that anyone was watching the apartment in my opinion.

Yep, I do remember that but I thought that Rob was saying that once inside (via the patio door) Gerry went to the front door .... and i couldn't remember that

[G-Unit]

Seems that you have forgotten my later post in response to yours, where I suggested alternatively that he might have waited for a signal from Tannerman that all was going well and it was time to go and fetch the getaway vehicle.

Two possibilities mentioned but seems you forgot or, maybe, ignored the later one?

Can post it again assuming that it wasn't deleted, if you wish

Okay, so how long was he expected to wait,  and how was the OK signal given?

[pathfinder73]

How can you say the window wasn't open when Matt did his check 30 minutes later?   

Matt says this in his statement - 
Consequently, he is convinced that at the time of the second check the blinds were more open than on the first check, given that he considers that the light inside the bedroom, undoubtedly coming from the outside, could not have been coming through it [the blinds] if they had been fully closed.

The window could have been open.

That was the first time in the flat for Matt. There were slats open that explains the streetlight next to the car park entrance shining in.

The outside blinds were closed with only two or three slats open. http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GERRY-MCCANN-10MAY.htm

Matt didn't see curtains moving or feel any draught so no window was open at 9:30. No abductor before 9:30 explains the open window.

"I was there to check, erm, no, no funny sort of smells, no sort of funny draughts, no sort of funny sort of noises, no, erm, nothing that I can think of for that. I mean, it was a complete just a shock out of the blue when, you know, I'd been in and then suddenly somebody's saying Madeleine's missing, there was nothing that made me think, oh'."

078 'The curtains were drawn and weren't blowing around''

Reply 'Yeah'.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MATTHEW-OLDFIELD-ROGATORY.htm

[Robittybob1]

Yep, I do remember that but I thought that Rob was saying that once inside (via the patio door) Gerry went to the front door .... and i couldn't remember that

Would Gerry go to the patio door when it wasn't fully dark just in case someone could then notice the door was unlocked?  I think he was aware he might have been under observation.