EDITED to add more info
Hanging around the OC ? Read the local witnesses instead of believing the rumour (= smoke without fire) launched by Mrs McCann's book about selective intruders abusing British kids.
David Edgar mentioned this string of attacks in the general area but I cant fnd the newspaper report now, it detailes dates and areas, will keep looking, but it was before the book
I found these though
The company was replaced by a team led by former RUC police chief Dave Edgar and Arthur Cowley, who had 30 years’ experience with the British police. These experienced detectives brought a fresh and newly meticulous method of investigating the disappearance. Edgar said he firmly believed there was a good chance that Madeleine was still alive. He said: “This rural, sprawling terrain makes it extremely difficult to search. You could quite easily keep a child there for years and no one else would know.” He said there were as many as NINE sex attacks on children in the area around Praia da Luz between 2005 and 2007. The victims included British kids. Some cases happened just 20 miles from the resort.
Six of the victims were girls aged between three and ten. Speaking about Madeleine, Edgar said: “The key thing is, no body has been found. When paedophiles kill, they often dump the body nearby - and this isn’t the case here. Even if Maddie had been dumped in the sea by the resort, the ocean often gives up its victims. Until I find evidence that she is dead, I will keep going
http://www.gerrymccannsblogs.co.uk/press/78oct13/Sun_19_10_2013.htmThe sinister story of the subsequent police investigation serves as a very poor indictment on the Portuguese police, whose reaction was flabby, unintelligent and plain slack. One hopes they have put protocols in place to correct their procedures now. It is also terrifying to read that subsequent investigations revealed that in the three years prior to the McCann's visit to Portugal, five cases of children being sexually assaulted in their beds, while their parents slept in adjoining rooms, within an hour's drive of where they stayed, had been recorded. There are too many "if onlys" — and each one on its own was enough to fail Madeleine.
http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global%5B_id%5D=64175Mr Edgar is convinced she was kidnapped and his team are still receiving a “substantial number” of calls and e-mails containing new information. While previous inquiries have led officers as far afield as Argentina and Australia, the focus is now firmly back in Portugal. The source went on: “They believe the answer lies in Praia da Luz. New information continues to come in.”
Links between the case and at least five sex attacks on British children near Praia da Luz have been ruled out.
Many known paedophiles in the area have also been discounted.http://joana-morais.blogspot.com/2010/01/rent-cop-dave-edgar-maddie-is-alive-and.htmlEta I found the quote from the newspaper
APRIL 14, 2004: Praia do Carvoeiro, Lagoa, 20 miles from Praia da Luz (PDA). s.e.x assault on 10-year-old girl.
JUNE 9 2005: Sao Rafael, near Sesmarias, 50 miles from PDA. s.e.x assault on nine-year-old girl.
JUNE 2 2006: Praia do Carvoeiro, Lagoa, 20 miles from PDA. s.e.x assault on seven-year-old girl and her 10-year-old sister in separate rooms.
OCTOBER 29 2006: Albufeira, 45 miles from PDA. s.e.x assault on eight-year-old girl
CHRISTMAS DAY, 2006: Silves, 35 miles from PDA. Attempted abduction of three-year-old girl.
MAY 28 2007: Albufeira. 45 miles from PDA. Intruder disturbed at the bottom of nine-year-old girl's bed.
It doesnt all add up