British police commence ground searches and digs in Praia da Luz.

[Victoria]

Or they did have access to a car but could not use it as they did not have the time to load the body into the car, drive away, dispose etc etc. So again, not having the time leads to the conclusion of a "panic situation" as, obviously, if the operation is planned, then time would have been allocated. I find it very hard not to come to the conclusion that SY think that there is a strong possibility of a "panic" scenario rather than a well planned operation.

I doubt they have concluded anything yet. So far all they are doing is examining one area. They may (probably) find nothing.

[pathfinder73]

Or they did have access to a car but could not use it as they did not have the time to load the body into the car, drive away, dispose etc etc. So again, not having the time leads to the conclusion of a "panic situation" as, obviously, if the operation is planned, then time would have been allocated. I find it very hard not to come to the conclusion that SY think that there is a strong possibility of a "panic" scenario rather than a well planned operation.

Agreed that it was a panic scenario but you'd possibly never feel safe leaving the evidence there so I think they're working on the theory that the body was eventually transported out of PDL. More mobile tracking needs to be done if they find anything from that specific area. They just need to find later dates where it goes back to the same spot.

[misty]

They're looking for Madeleine's body and you're wondering if a deceased black man was taking drugs there. Maybe they've been tracking his mobile phone to search in these specific areas >@@(*&) But Smithman wasn't black  >@@(*&)

I'm not suggesting that Smithman was Euclides. We don't know the nationality or physical appearance of the 3 burglars he was known to associate with, so maybe one of them resembles Smithman? It's just a theory, following on from Vixie's comment re phone triangulation - the 3 or 4 of them may have been around OC & then at the scrubland doing drugs. It's not inconceivable.

[slartibartfast]

It's not inconceivable.

I would suggest "not inconceivable" falls slightly below "a strong lead" and way below "beyond reasonable doubt"

[misty]

I would suggest "not inconceivable" falls slightly below "a strong lead" and way below "beyond reasonable doubt"

If the police find Madeleine's remains on that scrubland, and they have phone triangulation which supports the 4 being in both locations, who, in your opinion, will they be building a case against? Or will it still be the parents, regardless?

[icabodcrane]

If the police find Madeleine's remains on that scrubland, and they have phone triangulation which supports the 4 being in both locations, who, in your opinion, will they be building a case against? Or will it still be the parents, regardless?

Well,  whoever a case is being made against,  the investigation has certainly moved on dramatically

Just a few weeks ago   (  and for the last seven years )  the discussion has centred on where, and to what purpose,  the missing child had been spirited away by an abductor

Now here we are discussing the theories behind Madeleine's dead body having been a five minute walk from the apartment all along

The Metropolitan police have,  I think,  been quite subtle in bringing about this remarkable turnaround

[misty]

Well,  whoever a case is being made against,  the investigation has certainly moved on dramatically

Just a few weeks ago   (  and for the last seven years )  the discussion has centred on where, and to what purpose,  the missing child had been spirited away by an abductor

Now here we are discussing the theories behind Madeleine's dead body having been a five minute walk from the apartment all along

The Metropolitan police have,  I think,  been quite subtle in bringing about this remarkable turnaround

Of course the Met are to be praised. They are actively looking for Madeline. Finding her is the aim & the key to helping unlock the puzzle. Why do the "[ censored word]" object to the Met so much?

[slartibartfast]

Of course the Met are to be praised. They are actively looking for Madeline. Finding her is the aim & the key to helping unlock the puzzle. Why do the "[banned word]" object to the Met so much?

Who is objecting to the Met?

[icabodcrane]

Of course the Met are to be praised. They are actively looking for Madeline. Finding her is the aim & the key to helping unlock the puzzle. Why do the "[banned word]" object to the Met so much?

Where did you see any  'objection'  in my post  ?

On the contrary, I think the Metropolitan police are doing a splendid job

[colombosstogey]

Well,  whoever a case is being made against,  the investigation has certainly moved on dramatically

Just a few weeks ago   (  and for the last seven years )  the discussion has centred on where, and to what purpose,  the missing child had been spirited away by an abductor

Now here we are discussing the theories behind Madeleine's dead body having been a five minute walk from the apartment all along

The Metropolitan police have,  I think,  been quite subtle in bringing about this remarkable turnaround

I think its been planned for months personally all this is not going to be planned in a week. I said before that all the rubbish in the newspapers suited the police as it took stuff away from what they were doing.

So what are they doing?

They are checking scrubland most of which is rock hard anyway are they looking for a body?

When would a body be placed there is the question?

Perhaps they know what has happened but havent got the complete puzzle and are checking to eliminate rather then confirm.

Its 300 yards away from the flat. Why not just put the body in a wheelie bin and leave it there.

How could they have made a hole big enough without people noticing.

I think its more likely they want to check for clues etc BEFORE the land is bulldozed for development and any chances will be lost.

Its odd the PJ allowed them to dig around here and one other place, but refused elsewhere or did not allow permission, perhaps because they know they wont find anything.

Paul Luckman said himself (I mean the man lives there), this scrubland was searched at the time and they were looking for a live child who had wondered off so the area was checked thoroughly.

IF she is buried there then it happened later weeks later.

I think this has been going on in the back ground for months and perhaps is the final push to get closure either way. No body, no clues, well we tried.

I dont even have the energy to bother with it lol.

I hope they do find her body I truly do, then we can all get closure and move on.

[Cariad]

interesting that (if photo is genuine) both from the angle and the quality etc that that is a photo that was taken with with the full co-operation of SY (looks to be on the land itself?) and also released with their permission. So an effort is being made to get "column inches" for the operation rather than just get on with it and comment later. Unless, of course, a photo journo has managed to get really close which would imply that SY are not in full control of the area. Very interested photo, thanks for posting

It could've been taken from quite some distance away with a telephoto lens. There isn't anyway to tell withoutthe exif data though.

[Victoria]

Itv have said that two tents have now been erected over the hole, and officers in suits and masks have entered. I suppose the hole must be the only feature they have so far found that is of particular interest. If it was a drainage or sink hole, it might actually be quite deep.

[John]

You know, every time I see the goings on in that five acre piece of scrub I ponder the merits of this entire exercise.  The phrase, 'too little, too late' comes to mind.

A piece of corrugated iron roofing suddenly takes on a whole new meaning yet people have been stood looking at it for seven years?

Is SY really implying that the PJ are so damn stupid that they wouldn't have checked this out already? STRUTH!

[Victoria]

You know, every time I see the goings on in that five acre piece of scrub I ponder the merits of this entire exercise.  The phrase, 'too little, too late' comes to mind.

Too late certainly. Too little I'm not so sure.

[icabodcrane]

Itn are now reporting that officers in forensic suits and masks have gone into the tent covering the hole

I'm starting to get a sense of dread here