Why did THE TAPAS 7 ALL lock their back doors but the Mccanns left theirs open

[Redblossom]

3) the Mccanns didn't have to go along any dark alleyways, and the rear entrance was well lit by the street lamp on the pavement opposite.  Their rear entrance was basically on the street.  Burglars would have to be crazy to consider going in that way when it was so well lit and overlooked by peeps in  the tapas area.

Anne

3) .... is the reason why 5A was considered more vulnerable.

I beg to differ.

5a was most vulneravble only cos it could easily be watched from afar and because its front door was so very deeply recessed and in complete darkness. 

The back of 5A was far safer than the backs of any of the adjoining flats.  It was well lit and raised.  the backs of the other flats were in semi darkness and off a spooky alleyway.

Oh dear sadie, 5a well lit and open to people off the street, so was the safest?  beggars belief nite nite

still not had a rational answer to the op

[registrar]

3) the Mccanns didn't have to go along any dark alleyways, and the rear entrance was well lit by the street lamp on the pavement opposite.  Their rear entrance was basically on the street.  Burglars would have to be crazy to consider going in that way when it was so well lit and overlooked by peeps in  the tapas area.

Anne

3) .... is the reason why 5A was considered more vulnerable.

I beg to differ.

5a was most vulneravble only cos it could easily be watched from afar and because its front door was so very deeply recessed and in complete darkness. 

The back of 5A was far safer than the backs of any of the adjoining flats.  It was well lit and raised.  the backs of the other flats were in semi darkness and off a spooky alleyway.

5a is by far the most exposed apt. - right on the road

From what I've seen of the complex - 5a is the perfect place to rob/spirit someone away from

I would have not let my cat in 5a unsupervised/unlocked - and I'm not even that fond of my cat

Strange the doctors with all their nous and academic background did not realise that

[sadie]

Well Registrar, they left the appartment believing the front to be secure.

They were in sight of the rear steps and patio doors which was only 50 metres away and well lit.  They were within earshot. 

Nobody expects someone to come in and steal their child.  I certainly didn't in my back garden which had a side gate to the front, often left unlocked ... and an open back door on the side and out of sight.


You have to admit that it would be hard to find a more sleepy and outwardly safe place than PdL

[registrar]

Well Registrar, they left the appartment believing the front to be secure.

They were in sight of the rear steps and patio doors which was only 50 metres away and well lit.  They were within earshot. 

Nobody expects someone to come in and steal their child.  I certainly didn't in my back garden which had a side gate to the front, often left unlocked ... and an open back door on the side and out of sight.


You have to admit that it would be hard to find a more sleepy and outwardly safe place than PdL

I concede that Luz was the most quiet/sleep inducing town I have ever come across on many a travels

I maintain though that 5a's location (precisely for the amnesia of Luz) was a-waiting to be burgled

it's almost too perfect

and G&K as very bright professionals should have realised this - on day one

[icabodcrane]

Well Registrar, they left the appartment believing the front to be secure.

They were in sight of the rear steps and patio doors which was only 50 metres away and well lit.  They were within earshot. 

Nobody expects someone to come in and steal their child.  I certainly didn't in my back garden which had a side gate to the front, often left unlocked ... and an open back door on the side and out of sight.


You have to admit that it would be hard to find a more sleepy and outwardly safe place than PdL

In her rogatory interview, Fiona Payne says that the McCanns had originally  locked the apartment  ( as everyone else was doing )  and it was some time later that they decided to leave the patio doors unlocked

She says she can't remember when they made that decision, exactly,  but that she remembers having a conversation with Kate about it,  and she thinks it was about  'half way through'

Given that they had only been eating at the tapas bar for four nights  (  including the one that Madeleine disappeared )  then I guess that suggests the McCanns only started  leaving the the apartment unlocked from Tuesday night onwards  ( by Fiona Payne's reckoning )

Russell O'Brien, though,  in his rogatory interview, says that he checked the McCann children earlier in the week, via the open patio doors,  on the first night they ate at the tapas bar  ( Sunday )  and that the Mccanns had been  'doing things differently from the word go' 

It's all very confusing ...  but the indisputable fact is that the McCann children were  left vulnerable in that unsecured apartment   ( whether the McCanns had the forsight to realise it or not )  ...  the sad outcome is testimony to that

[AnneGuedes]

4 nights excluding the disappearance one.

[AnneGuedes]

4) It was by far the most convenient route for the Mccanns.  Their walk to the front door was further than ony of the others.

It was quite a bit further Anne.  Measures about 10 or 11 metres on GE.  It was the width of two appartments further and it weas sooo dark by that deeply recessed front door.  Gave me the creeps.

Where have you seen the light wasn't working ? OC has employees to fix this rapidly. The corridor's lights were always on (at night).

[icabodcrane]

4 nights excluding the disappearance one.

Yes,  you're right Anne   (  sorry,  I got  that  wrong  )

So if the McCanns changed their checking methods  'half way through',   as Fiona suggests, then they would have started leaving the patio doors unlocked on the Tuesday night ?

Why they left those doors unlocked at ALL  is,  in truth, of course, inexplicable   

[AnneGuedes]

vulnerable in that unsecured apartment   ( whether the McCanns had the forsight to realise it or not )  ...  the sad outcome is testimony to that

I'm not sure danger was bound to come from the outside. See the OB, they didn't lock in case of intrusion but to prevent exit. Madeleine was unfortunately able to get out of her bed, of her room, of her flat. I can't believe she had cried more than an hour staying in her bed.

[sadie]

4) It was by far the most convenient route for the Mccanns.  Their walk to the front door was further than ony of the others.

It was quite a bit further Anne.  Measures about 10 or 11 metres on GE.  It was the width of two appartments further and it weas sooo dark by that deeply recessed front door.  Gave me the creeps.

Where have you seen the light wasn't working ? OC has employees to fix this rapidly. The corridor's lights were always on (at night).

Anne, I dont know now, but it was common knowledge and not a myth, I think.  I hope others will remember too, or better still find it in the files.  I am too tired these days to go wading thru files.

When I was there, much of the East front of block 5 was in darkness.  Very dreary and positively uninviting to walk to the front door of 5A

I think the light was properly broken, hanging down rather than just a bulb needing replacing.


ETA.

Anne I have done a quick search and I cant find anything about the light being broken.  Therefore unless anyone else can come up with the relevant info, pls disregard it

[icabodcrane]

4) It was by far the most convenient route for the Mccanns.  Their walk to the front door was further than ony of the others.

It was quite a bit further Anne.  Measures about 10 or 11 metres on GE.  It was the width of two appartments further and it weas sooo dark by that deeply recessed front door.  Gave me the creeps.

Where have you seen the light wasn't working ? OC has employees to fix this rapidly. The corridor's lights were always on (at night).

Anne, I dont know now, but it was common knowledge and not a myth, I think.  I hope others will remember too, or better still find it in the files.  I am too tired these days to go wading thru files.

When I was there, much of the East front of block 5 was in darkness.  Very dreary and positively uninviting to walk to the front door of 5A

I think the light was properly broken, hanging down rather than just a bulb needing replacing.

sadie  ...  don't you ever wonder why Kate and Gerry  felt  'so safe'  in such a dark, dreary,  and uninviting environment ?  ...  safe enough to leave their infants in an unlocked apartment ?

[AnneGuedes]

I think the light was properly broken, hanging down rather than just a bulb needing replacing.

When I was there, the light was working. But the false pepper trees had been completely cut, sadness. Sometimes the wind in the leaves makes you shiver.

[sadie]

4) It was by far the most convenient route for the Mccanns.  Their walk to the front door was further than ony of the others.

It was quite a bit further Anne.  Measures about 10 or 11 metres on GE.  It was the width of two appartments further and it weas sooo dark by that deeply recessed front door.  Gave me the creeps.

Where have you seen the light wasn't working ? OC has employees to fix this rapidly. The corridor's lights were always on (at night).

Anne, I dont know now, but it was common knowledge and not a myth, I think.  I hope others will remember too, or better still find it in the files.  I am too tired these days to go wading thru files.

When I was there, much of the East front of block 5 was in darkness.  Very dreary and positively uninviting to walk to the front door of 5A

I think the light was properly broken, hanging down rather than just a bulb needing replacing.

sadie  ...  don't you ever wonder why Kate and Gerry  felt  'so safe'  in such a dark, dreary,  and uninviting environment ?  ...  safe enough to leave their infants in an unlocked apartment ?

Icabod, my comment was selective.  It mentioned much of the east front of the building, after dark.  Nothing else.

It was a very nice place for a 3* .  The whole of PdL felt very safe.

Anne, pls note I have ammended my previous post.

[AnneGuedes]

They were in sight of the rear steps and patio doors which was only 50 metres away and well lit.  They were within earshot. 

Nobody expects someone to come in and steal their child.  I certainly didn't in my back garden which had a side gate to the front, often left unlocked ... and an open back door on the side and out of sight.


You have to admit that it would be hard to find a more sleepy and outwardly safe place than PdL

Which change, please Sadie ?
They weren't within earshot, this could be achieved giving the kids the south bedroom (two beds as well). It would also allow to see a light put on.
But I agree with you that in PDL nobody would expect a child to be stolen from bed.

[sadie]

What do you mean  "What change" Anne?

I agree: they weren't in sound range from the bedroom, but from the balcony, they were.


The decision as to bedrooms would have been taken before Kate and Gerry weere aware of the likely eating arrangements.  Once unpacked and settled in, they wouldn't change rooms because, nobody, even in their wildest nighmare, could have thought that Madeleine would have been stolen.

Let's be realistic.