Conclusion that somebody would have had to have been in the room!

[misty]

Can you jog my memory please?  Who were they?

DCI Redwood, Crimewatch Oct 2013.
"One of the things that we picked up very quickly was the fact that there was a night crèche that was operating from the main Ocean Club reception – and  8 families had left 11 children in there – and one particular family we spoke to us gave us information that was really interesting and exciting. In fact, I would say it was – it was a revelation moment when, having discussed with them what hey were doing on the night, they themselves believed that they could be the Tanner sighting"

[Brietta]

Bear in mind the long curtain was reportedly closed across the patio door, so Gerry would have had to open the door, move the curtain, then possibly turn around & slide the door closed again.

On the attached video, it provides some idea how dark it was inside the apartment without the benefit of the small table lamp on. Matt also is shown indicating how far into the apartment he was before he could see into the children's' bedroom through the half-open door. You will also note there is an archway which provides a recess for the 3 doors & reduces visibility from the patio door aspect. IMO there was sufficient time for a fleet-footed intruder to move from one bedroom to the other without being seen.
https://youtu.be/na4aBr5PTYY?t=257

I think your suggestion fits quite well, Misty.
Particularly as far as the window and shutter is concerned ... having almost been caught like a rat in a trap it makes good sense for an intruder to ensure not getting cornered without means of escape.

If there was someone inside who heard Gerry opening the patio door two issues are suggested to me ...

• the intruder had only just entered and hadn't yet had time to enter the children's bedroom ... perhaps via the patio door immediately prior to Gerry ... or more likely via the front door
• imagine the dilemma of where to hide in the seconds available to get out of sight ... to avoid being seen the quickest and only direction would have been the parent's bedroom

[faithlilly]

I think your suggestion fits quite well, Misty.
Particularly as far as the window and shutter is concerned ... having almost been caught like a rat in a trap it makes good sense for an intruder to ensure not getting cornered without means of escape.

If there was someone inside who heard Gerry opening the patio door two issues are suggested to me ...

• the intruder had only just entered and hadn't yet had time to enter the children's bedroom ... perhaps via the patio door immediately prior to Gerry ... or more likely via the front door
• imagine the dilemma of where to hide in the seconds available to get out of sight ... to avoid being seen the quickest and only direction would have been the parent's bedroom

So knowing that a check had just been done and knowing, through watching the apartment, that the checks where approximately every half hour are you saying the alleged abductor wasted time opening a window as an escape route while knowing that there was very little chance he would be caught ?

[pathfinder73]

21:15
The only evidence of somebody leaving with Madeleine after Gerry checked was Tannerman and he's history.

21:30
"I was there to check, erm, no, no funny sort of smells, no sort of funny draughts, no sort of funny sort of noises, no, erm, nothing that I can think of for that. I mean, it was a complete just a shock out of the blue when, you know, I'd been in and then suddenly somebody's saying Madeleine's missing, there was nothing that made me think, oh'."
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/MATTHEW-OLDFIELD-ROGATORY.htm

I conclude the window was closed at 21:30 which rules Tannerman out a second time for good measure!

[misty]

So knowing that a check had just been done and knowing, through watching the apartment, that the checks where approximately every half hour are you saying the alleged abductor wasted time opening a window as an escape route while knowing that there was very little chance he would be caught ?

The intelligence was flawed because the Tapas 9 checking routine changed on the Thursday. GM's visit so soon after MO's check was unanticipated because it deviated from previous routine.
Maybe the window was only opened to let the abductor tell an accomplice what the delay was.

All IMO.

[Brietta]

So knowing that a check had just been done and knowing, through watching the apartment, that the checks where approximately every half hour are you saying the alleged abductor wasted time opening a window as an escape route while knowing that there was very little chance he would be caught ?

I think the point is that an intruder with the intention of abducting a child is already embarked on a high risk endeavour which in this instance had so nearly been undone.
It takes seconds to open a window and raise a shutter using the mechanism as it should be used ... we've seen Heri doing it from outside with little difficulty.
Having almost been caught like a rat in a trap ... in my opinion only a cretin would risk not having an alternative escape route should the same thing occur again particularly if it took seconds to prepare.

There was every chance an intruder might be caught ... if one had been in the apartment when Gerry was ... it had just almost happened.

[faithlilly]

The intelligence was flawed because the Tapas 9 checking routine changed on the Thursday. GM's visit so soon after MO's check was unanticipated because it deviated from previous routine.
Maybe the window was only opened to let the abductor tell an accomplice what the delay was.

All IMO.

How very courteous of him.

[Erngath]

How very courteous of him.

Or her.

[Brietta]

How very courteous of him.

Nothing courteous about it in my opinion ... just good practice in sharing information between criminals who maybe had a boat to catch.

[faithlilly]

I think the point is that an intruder with the intention of abducting a child is already embarked on a high risk endeavour which in this instance had so nearly been undone.
It takes seconds to open a window and raise a shutter using the mechanism as it should be used ... we've seen Heri doing it from outside with little difficulty.
Having almost been caught like a rat in a trap ... in my opinion only a cretin would risk not having an alternative escape route should the same thing occur again particularly if it took seconds to prepare.

There was every chance an intruder might be caught ... if one had been in the apartment when Gerry was ... it had just almost happened.

Why risk opening a window that makes a noise when those few seconds taken to open that window could be used to abduct the child ? By staying in the apartment to do two things instead of one he is increasing the risk of being caught. It makes absolutely no sense.

[Brietta]

Or her.

I think it is perfectly possible if not probable that the intruder could have been female.

[faithlilly]

Nothing courteous about it in my opinion ... just good practice in sharing information between criminals who maybe had a boat to catch.

So the seconds it could take to open the squeaky window to tell his accomplice he was running late is the same amount of time it would take an abductor to leave the apartment with Madeleine. Can you see why delaying your escape from the  apartment makes no sense if you are an abductor?

[faithlilly]

Or her.

Yes the imaginary abductor could have been either sex.

[Brietta]

So the seconds it could take to open the squeaky window to tell his accomplice he was running late is the same amount of time it would take an abductor to leave the apartment with Madeleine. Can you see why delaying your escape from the  apartment makes no sense if you are an abductor?

The shutter is I believe relatively noisy in operation, whether that is a squeak or not is entirely open to debate.

However there is a saying "festina lente" which is interpreted in English as "more haste, less speed" which in my opinion covers nefarious activities such as stealing a child.

[pathfinder73]

The intelligence was flawed because the Tapas 9 checking routine changed on the Thursday. GM's visit so soon after MO's check was unanticipated because it deviated from previous routine.
Maybe the window was only opened to let the abductor tell an accomplice what the delay was.

All IMO.

Gerry said they checked every 30 minutes regardless of others so any abductor would surely know the McCanns checking routine. They arrived at the tapas at 8:30 so they should be expecting a McCann check at 9.

"Every half-hour the deponent or KATE went, alternately, to the apartment to confirm that all was well with the children." http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GERRY-MCCANN-10MAY.htm