Madeleine McCann - The locks to apartment 5a

[Redblossom]

Icabodcrane, it was when  the May 2011 media ppearances happened around Kate Mccann's book launch.

Here is the whole transcript.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1105/11/pmt.01.html

[Carana]

@Carana

There appears to have been at least two sets of keys, one held in Ocean Ckub reception, and one that was available for the cleaners. In the files there is mention of the club maintenance having keys, but I am unsure if this was a third set or whether the cleaners borrowed the keys from them.

Then we have the slightly bizarre theory that Gerry Mccann offered on CNN


MORGAN: Do you know that yet? Do you know -- is there any evidence how this person came in the room?

G. MCCANN: I mean no doubt, there are a number of options. And --

MORGAN: No, actual evidence. There's nothing they could find to say this is unequivocally how this person came in?

G. MCCANN: No. I mean, it's possible they came through the window. They could have come through the patio doors, although that was in sight of where we were dining. So I think that's probably less likely. For all we know, they could have had a key, you know, lots of people stayed in that apartment over years to the front door --

I'm not sure what you find odd.


It's a holiday let. A previous occupant could have left it "under the mat" (some obvious place) for someone else with a different activity schedule. Hardly rare. And someone could have spotted this activity, had the key duplicated, and replaced it.

[Redblossom]

It's a holiday let. A previous occupant could have left it "under the mat" (some obvious place) for someone else with a different activity schedule. Hardly rare. And someone could have spotted this activity, had the key duplicated, and replaced it.

*******

Sure. And waited years to use it to enter the place and abduct a child. OK. Plausible.
 >@@(*&)

[Carana]

It's a holiday let. A previous occupant could have left it "under the mat" (some obvious place) for someone else with a different activity schedule. Hardly rare. And someone could have spotted this activity, had the key duplicated, and replaced it.

*******

Sure. And waited years to use it to enter the place and abduct a child. OK. Plausible.
 >@@(*&)

Why "years"? It could have been recent ones.

[Carana]

You might find this useful when discussing the front door locks at apartment 5a.

Interesting, John.

Where's this screw that would have prevented a pliable object from being used?

[icabodcrane]

Icabodcrane, it was when  the May 2011 media ppearances happened around Kate Mccann's book launch.

Here is the whole transcript.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1105/11/pmt.01.html

Thanks for going to trouble of bringing the link,  very kind of you

How odd that Gerry would be suggesting that the obvious point of entry  (  the unlocked patio doors )  was the least likely   

Instead, he mentions the possibility that the abductor may have climbed in through the window  (  although he must have known,  at that point,  that forensic investigation had ruled out the window as a means of either entry or exit )

[Redblossom]

Icabodcrane, it was when  the May 2011 media ppearances happened around Kate Mccann's book launch.
Here is the whole transcript.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1105/11/pmt.01.html

Thanks for going to trouble of bringing the link,  very kind of you
How odd that Gerry would be suggesting that the obvious point of entry  (  the unlocked patio doors )  was the least likely   
Instead, he mentions the possibility that the abductor may have climbed in through the window  (  although he must have known,  at that point,  that forensic investigation had ruled out the window as a means of either entry or exit )

He said it was unlikely that the patio doors were used as they had a visual on them and would have seen something. Now, even the most open minded person can't possibly think that the Mccanns and/or their friends eyes were glued on their patio doors for the entire duration of their meal. I mean why would they? if they thought it was perfectly safe.

[Carana]

Does anyone have a screenshot of the demonstration by the PT forensic police person in Amaral's documentary as to how a creditcard couldn't have opened that door?

[Redblossom]

It's a holiday let. A previous occupant could have left it "under the mat" (some obvious place) for someone else with a different activity schedule. Hardly rare. And someone could have spotted this activity, had the key duplicated, and replaced it.
*******

Sure. And waited years to use it to enter the place and abduct a child. OK. Plausible.
 >@@(*&)

Why "years"? It could have been recent ones.

It was Gerry who said 'years' Carana. That was the point.

[DCI]

The key?

Was it a yale type key?, I seem to remember it wasn't 8-)(--)

[Mrs. B]

No it was one of those odd "crucifix" keys

[DCI]

The Portuguese police have always believed any intruder would have used the FRONT DOOR to enter, knowing the McCanns would never use it that night. He could also have escaped through the shuttered front window to the children's bedroom. For this he would have needed a KEY to the front door. The one the McCanns had for the Ocean Club apartment is known in the locksmiths' trade as a "crucifix key" - and is very unusual because it has four sides. Experienced British locksmith John Reeder told us the key used to take us into the flat yesterday is almost certainly a copy. He said: "Most locksmiths would not be able to copy it without great difficulty. The one in the picture is almost certainly not the original."
Supporting the theory that the kidnap could be an inside job, he added: "I would say it is most likely there is at least one other key in circulation as most locks come with at least two spares when they are cut. But there are not many keys around like this one



http://www.mccannfiles.com/id21.html

[Carana]

The Portuguese police have always believed any intruder would have used the FRONT DOOR to enter, knowing the McCanns would never use it that night. He could also have escaped through the shuttered front window to the children's bedroom. For this he would have needed a KEY to the front door. The one the McCanns had for the Ocean Club apartment is known in the locksmiths' trade as a "crucifix key" - and is very unusual because it has four sides. Experienced British locksmith John Reeder told us the key used to take us into the flat yesterday is almost certainly a copy. He said: "Most locksmiths would not be able to copy it without great difficulty. The one in the picture is almost certainly not the original."
Supporting the theory that the kidnap could be an inside job, he added: "I would say it is most likely there is at least one other key in circulation as most locks come with at least two spares when they are cut. But there are not many keys around like this one



http://www.mccannfiles.com/id21.html

That key might be considered unusual for a British locksmith, but I have been repeatedly told that it's bog standard in Portugal. If that is indeed the case, anyone could presumably get one cut by a local locksmith / Mr Mint -type place very quickly.

Even if one hadn't been duplicated for nefarious reasons, there were several of them in circulation at the time.

[DCI]

That key might be considered unusual for a British locksmith, but I have been repeatedly told that it's bog standard in Portugal. If that is indeed the case, anyone could presumably get one cut by a local locksmith / Mr Mint -type place very quickly.

Even if one hadn't been duplicated for nefarious reasons, there were several of them in circulation at the time.

There's a picture somewhere of someone in a similar apartment, showing how the door lock works. It was just a plain Yale key, as we know them. I can't find it, yet!

[Carana]

Is it even certain that that was the type of key for 5A?

That photo of one came from NOTW.

I don't see a key in the files, just photos of the locking system.





ETA: Yes, it might be. See p. 13 - 1956 looks similar.

http://www.rodes.pt/images/stories/catalogs/catalogo_Rodes.pdf