Mark Warner Holidays and Ocean Club Resorts had a duty of care towards their guests.

[VIXTE]

The PR and the statements claim that the system improvised in PDL was based specifically on the MW listening service. Nowhere do any of them claim it was based on any other company's listening system do they?.
I'm happy to agree with you that even if only one couple having ever themselves actually used an MW listening system is not anything to argue over at all. I make it very clear - the couples told the truth about whether on each holiday they actually themselves used, or did not use, the listening service, if you read their statements carefully and don't make assumptions. I got 95%+ of the info straight from their actual statements, I am saying they are telling the truth.

Before they decided to go on holiday to Portugal they received MW booklet. Inside the booklet it was wrongly claimed that Ocean Club too has a listening service. I remember reading in the first days of the case that they even received some small refund for this incorrect information which mislead them.

[pegasus]

Before they decided to go on holiday to Portugal they received MW booklet. Inside the booklet it was wrongly claimed that Ocean Club too has a listening service.

"it doesn’t actually mention the baby listening service"
(Source: FP rogatory)

I remember reading in the first days of the case that they even received some small refund for this incorrect information which mislead them.

"Mark Warner ... were going to discount the holiday by ten percent ... not long after we booked ... so I’d had correspondence ... you can knock us ten percent off as well ... they gave us some discount"
(Source: DP rogatory)

[John]

There were burglaries reported to OC. I believe Silvia batista confirmed that in a radio interview. There was also a stabbing on the beach. One of the residents also stated that holidaymakers were generally targeted towards the end of the week that way they were less likely to report it to  the police due to the hassle

Oh dear!  Looks like Luz doesn't even know what was happening in her own village.  Better keep those doors and windaes locked Luz. 

[pegasus]

I think it is reasonable to expect guests to lock windows before going out.
However there is a peculiar psychological aspect to the setup at 5A and probably all apartments in that block.
People who in UK would always check windows are locked in some way before going out, might not do so in an apartment with the 5A setup.
And here is the psychological reason - subconsciously they think: "the exterior shutter is down, no-one can get in, so no need to check if window is locked in some way" (that is all subconscious, not conscious thought).
Of course in fact "no-one can get in" is an assumption that is only true if the window is locked in some way.

To lock the window takes only a second - simply press the top button on the handle.

So I would suggest putting on every window of this type an adhesive sticker (similar to the balcony warning sticker you see in photos of lounge balcony door) with the text

"Before going out check the window is fully closed and the lock button (top button) is pressed in"

[VIXTE]

I think it is reasonable to expect guests to lock windows before going out.
However there is a peculiar psychological aspect to the setup at 5A and probably all apartments in that block.
People who in UK would always check windows are locked in some way before going out, might not do so in an apartment with the 5A setup.
And here is the psychological reason - subconsciously they think: "the exterior shutter is down, no-one can get in, so no need to check if window is locked in some way" (that is all subconscious, not conscious thought).
Of course in fact "no-one can get in" is an assumption that is only true if the window is locked in some way.

To lock the window takes only a second - simply press the top button on the handle.

So I would suggest putting on every window of this type an adhesive sticker (similar to the balcony warning sticker you see in photos of lounge balcony door) with the text

"Before going out ensure window is closed and the lock button (top button) is pressed in"

And you wouldn't add ' Due to a high number of the burglaries in the area....'

[stephen25000]

And you wouldn't add ' Due to a high number of the burglaries in the area....'

....and what did Clarence Mitchell say as regards the 'break-in' to the mccanns apartment ?

[Admin]

My own observation is that it was only a matter of time before a burglary went wrong.  Out of curiosity, was the sneak thief who entered Mrs Fenn's apartment ever caught?

[Eleanor]

My own observation is that it was only a matter of time before a burglary went wrong.  Out of curiosity, was the sneak thief who entered Mrs Fenn's apartment ever caught?

Not in so far as I have ever seen.  This did happen shortly before The McCanns arrived, so I would have thought it would have been reported somewhere.  But we were all relying on Portuguese Posters at the time.
Now, we are not so daft.

[pegasus]

And you wouldn't add ' Due to a high number of the burglaries in the area....'

I wouldn't add that to my suggested sticker.

The benefit of ensuring that the lock button on the window is pressed in, would be obvious to even the dimmest guest.

A guest is not going to read the sticker I suggested and think "oh look a sticker telling me to make sure the window is locked, I have no idea why on earth they tell me to do that, so I won't do it"

[Eleanor]

I wouldn't add that to my suggested sticker.

The benefit of ensuring that the lock button on the window is pressed in, would be obvious to even the dimmest guest.

A guest is not going to read the sticker I suggested and think "oh look a sticker telling me to make sure the window is locked, I have no idea why on earth they tell me to do that, so I won't do it"

This might have been a good idea.  At least it would have suggested to The McCanns that the place wasn't safe.  But I expect that Lessons have Been Learned.  They sometimes are in hindsight.

[carlymichelle]

I wouldn't add that to my suggested sticker.

The benefit of ensuring that the lock button on the window is pressed in, would be obvious to even the dimmest guest.

A guest is not going to read the sticker I suggested and think "oh look a sticker telling me to make sure the window is locked, I have no idea why on earth they tell me to do that, so I won't do it"

a human being shouldnt need a sticker to  know to lock up /look after their valubles     its too bad   they didnt in this case

[pegasus]

Before they decided to go on holiday to Portugal they received MW booklet. Inside the booklet it was wrongly claimed that Ocean Club too has a listening service. I remember reading in the first days of the case that they even received some small refund for this incorrect information which mislead them.

Are you claiming that the booklet they received before booking stated that a listening service was available in PDL?
Again I rely on the truthfulness of the statements of the couples about this, I think they are telling the truth about this, I will check to see whether, or not, any of them make that specific claim.

[pegasus]

Before they decided to go on holiday to Portugal they received MW booklet. Inside the booklet it was wrongly claimed that Ocean Club too has a listening service...

Ok have have checked the statements of the adults.
None of them make the "inside the booklet it was wrongly claimed" allegation at all.
So relying on their veraciousness, I conclude that the "misleading booklet" idea has no substance at all.
What actually happened BTW is very simple: there was no misleading booklet at all, the person who made the booking "hadn’t really read the small print". (Source: rogatory interview 9th April 2008)

[jassi]

Just one of these little forum myths, you mean?

[pegasus]

Just one of these little forum myths, you mean?

As I said, the adults, if one actually reads their statements, never claim there was any misleading booklet.
They are telling the truth about the booking.
If there was a misleading booklet they would have said so.
Re where the myth originated, I don't know, obviously no competent lawyer or PR peep would ever create such a myth exactly opposite to what the truthful witnesses say, so maybe it's just lazy journalism