The Sun claims Madeleine McCann was kidnapped during a botched burglary.

[John]

I have never been burgled here.  And I frequently don't lock my doors, day or night.  And never when I go out.

Burglars in Med resorts tend to target tourists on the basis that most crimes are never followed up.  The police issue victims with a Crime Number for insurance purposes and that is an end of it.  Tourists are basically a soft target.

I will add this however. Foreign residents of the town in Spain where I live have had to form Neighbourhood Watch schemes recently because of a spate of brazen burglaries.  It seems that the dire financial situation in Spain has seen a huge increase in this sort of crime.

[stephen25000]

I have never been burgled here.  And I frequently don't lock my doors, day or night.  And never when I go out.

Well you have been lucky.

Many people are not so fortunate.

[pegasus]

Examine it from the child's perspective. What did she see? What did she hear? What did she decide to do?

[ShiningInLuz]

If The McCanns had known about the spate of burglaries it might have helped.  Changed their attitude even.  But they didn't know, which is why they thought it was safe.
Can't some of you see this?

May I ask why anyone would think the Algarve is a burglary-free zone?  Does such a zone exist at any holiday destination?

I just can't see why leaving your home unlocked makes sense, whether in Luz, the Algarve or the UK.

[Alice Purjorick]

Well you have been lucky.

Many people are not so fortunate.

I have never been burgled. The odd thing is the more careful I am the luckier I am 
In Northern Portugal [Costa Verde] in the coastal stretch from Ancora to Caminha one is warned of gitanos coming over the border to lift owt that inna bolted down.

[Eleanor]

Burglars in Med resorts tend to target tourists on the basis that most crimes are never followed up.  The police issue victims with a Crime Number for insurance purposes and that is an end of it.  Tourists are basically a soft target.

I will add this however. Foreign residents of the town in Spain where I live have had to form Neighbourhood Watch schemes recently because of a spate of brazen burglaries.  It seems that the dire financial situation in Spain has seen a huge increase in this sort of crime.

The French are inherently honest.  It's The Brit Expats that are the worry.  But they tend to steal caravans and anything left lying around outside.  Although unoccupied houses seem to be fair game.
Although I did get a visit from The Gendarmes when a strange car was reported across the road.

This is such a small Hamlet, so anything odd is noticed.  Mostly by local French.

[Eleanor]

Well you have been lucky.

Many people are not so fortunate.

Fortunate?  So it's just good luck if you don't get burgled?  I see it rather differently.

[Eleanor]

Examine it from the child's perspective. What did she see? What did she hear? What did she decide to do?

I don't know.  I wish I did.  But would she have been such a threat to a burglar.

[ShiningInLuz]

Mark Warner and the Ocean Club were negligent in my view in not warning guests that this was going on.  I also think the resort owners should have had visible security around the blocks.  Even the nannies complained that strangers had too much access to the gardens and pool area. As it was any old Tom, Dick or Harry could wander in day or night.

You need to think about what the Ocean Club was and is.

Mark Warner bought the OC around late 2006 for €1.85 million.  The figure would not buy you block 5, let alone what most people think is the OC.

MW bought the communal facilities - 24hr reception, crèche above, Millennium area, Tapas area, indoor pool, adults only pool.

The apartments are owned by individuals, not the OC.  Examples are Mrs McCann in 5A and Mrs Fenn above.  Some owners rented out their property, via a contract with the OC.  Some did not.

It is not private land in any way so the OC is not in a position to control access.  Example - Mrs Murat nipping out on 3 May 2007 to get bread from Baptista before it closed.  Her journey took her between blocks 5 and 6, but as the OC owned neither, it could not regulate such access.

[Eleanor]

May I ask why anyone would think the Algarve is a burglary-free zone?  Does such a zone exist at any holiday destination?

I just can't see why leaving your home unlocked makes sense, whether in Luz, the Algarve or the UK.

But I do.  And frequently.  I was out for three hours this morning and I didn't lock my doors.

[stephen25000]

Fortunate?  So it's just good luck if you don't get burgled?  I see it rather differently.

What on earth ?

[Eleanor]

What on earth ?

Sorry, Love.  I have become accustomed to living among honest people.

[stephen25000]

Sorry, Love.  I have become accustomed to living among honest people.

Well count your blessings.

I hope you never have the misfortune to be burgled.

[ShiningInLuz]

Yes, they should have done.  One wonders what they were thinking of, although I could take a guess.

But as you say, why no visible security?  Not that anyone expected a child to be stolen.

The size and dispersal of the OC meant that MW did not offer a listening service.  Same applies to security, except a security system would work much more extended hours, and I've no idea how they could cover a meal break.

[Mr Gray]

i remember reading an article in the early days where Gerry said he felt like Luz was similar to a seaside town in the 509's ...quiet and safe...he was wrong.
Despite what everyone says the McCanns thought what they did was safe...they were wrong....what's the point in going over it again and again 9 years later