Why was the window open ?

[debunker]

Cleaners I have seen at similar resorts have large bunches of keys hanging from their trolleys. Maintenance personnel also have access keys.

[AnneGuedes]

I have worked and lived in institutional accommodation for considerable periods- hospitals and universities. Rogue keys were always available.

Schools too, debunker.

All holiday parks have spare keys, be it for caravans, chalets and private lets. Makes sense when you think about it, in case of break ins, fires, etc.

People losing keys on the beach, leaving keys under mats for other occupants with different activities...

My issue is whether or not it has been excluded that a spare (borrowed/stolen and duplicated) key could have been used.

And, whether the demonstration with the credit card in Amaral's documentary involved simply a closed door or a deadlocked one and what the difference would be in terms of a simple break-in. That's not clear to me at the moment.

Those locks, not deadlocked, are quite easy to open with a credit card. Now in most hotel rooms there's a safe.

[sadie]

I have worked and lived in institutional accommodation for considerable periods- hospitals and universities. Rogue keys were always available.

Schools too, debunker.

All holiday parks have spare keys, be it for caravans, chalets and private lets. Makes sense when you think about it, in case of break ins, fires, etc.

People losing keys on the beach, leaving keys under mats for other occupants with different activities...

My issue is whether or not it has been excluded that a spare (borrowed/stolen and duplicated) key could have been used.

And, whether the demonstration with the credit card in Amaral's documentary involved simply a closed door or a deadlocked one and what the difference would be in terms of a simple break-in. That's not clear to me at the moment.

Those locks, not deadlocked, are quite easy to open with a credit card. Now in most hotel rooms there's a safe.

Not this sort of lock, I think, Anne

Have you seen the keys?  They are not flat like most UK keys but rather like a twig from a christmas tree with bits sticking out at all angles.  Would be very difficult with these locks to use a credit card, I think.

[John]

Spare keys for all the apartments except the privately owned ones were kept in a safe in the resort garage.  All maintenance workers knew the combination of the safe and had access to these keys.

[debunker]

I have worked and lived in institutional accommodation for considerable periods- hospitals and universities. Rogue keys were always available.

Schools too, debunker.



All holiday parks have spare keys, be it for caravans, chalets and private lets. Makes sense when you think about it, in case of break ins, fires, etc.

People losing keys on the beach, leaving keys under mats for other occupants with different activities...

My issue is whether or not it has been excluded that a spare (borrowed/stolen and duplicated) key could have been used.

And, whether the demonstration with the credit card in Amaral's documentary involved simply a closed door or a deadlocked one and what the difference would be in terms of a simple break-in. That's not clear to me at the moment.

Those locks, not deadlocked, are quite easy to open with a credit card. Now in most hotel rooms there's a safe.

Not this sort of lock, I think, Anne

Have you seen the keys?  They are not flat like most UK keys but rather like a twig from a christmas tree with bits sticking out at all angles.  Would be very difficult with these locks to use a credit card, I think.

The credit card trick is sliding the card to push back the locking tongue- possible with slam locks/night locks like yale front door locks, but not with hook locks or deadlocks.

[stephen25000]

None of this proves one iota that the window was open when Ms. Mccann entered the apartment.

Again, hers were the only identifiable fingerprints.

[Angelo222]

None of this proves one iota that the window was open when Ms. Mccann entered the apartment.

Again, hers were the only identifiable fingerprints.

Well Amy Tierney says it was open but being another Irish catholic maybe she was in on the conspiracy too?  What??   

[Angelo222]

According to one of the established staff members at OC there was a lot of new staff at the complex and many of them were unknown quantities.  I find that to be a startling comment in itself.  It was as if this staff member wanted to speak out but was afraid of losing their job.  I get this impression too when reading the statements by many of the indigenous staff as they appear to be lacking in substance.  It would seem that short term contracts were the order of the day so they must have feared losing their jobs if they said too much.  I deffo find that the British staff had more to say and were prepared to speak out much more than the Portuguese.

[Carana]

None of this proves one iota that the window was open when Ms. Mccann entered the apartment.

Again, hers were the only identifiable fingerprints.

If she had opened it, as opposed to simply touching it when looking out the window, why would she have done so with the middle and index finger of her left hand?



Observations: The fingerprint traces collected are identified as being the left hand (3x) and forefinger of the left hand (2x), of the missing girl’s mother,

The fingerprint inspection was only carried out on the inside of the window because it was night time, the location was sealed and preserved so that light conditions would permit the inspection of the residence to be finalised.
04_VOLUME_IVa_Page_885

Confusingly, the photo only shows 4 prints instead of 5.

[stephen25000]

None of this proves one iota that the window was open when Ms. Mccann entered the apartment.

Again, hers were the only identifiable fingerprints.

Well Amy Tierney says it was open but being another Irish catholic maybe she was in on the conspiracy too?  What??   

So was that before Ms. Mcann was in the apartment or afterwards  ?

[C.Edwards]

It's a good point Stephen makes.  How does anyone know what state the apartment was in when "found"?  The McCanns have freely admitted to mucking about with the shutters, how does anyone know what was done with the window?

[Carana]

I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me why prints of her index and middle finger of one hand are indicative of her having opened it.

[C.Edwards]

I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me why prints of her index and middle finger of one hand are indicative of her having opened it.

Was it a sliding window Carana?

[Carana]

Yes, I believe so. With what looks like a button latch thing.

[C.Edwards]

Yes, I believe so. With what looks like a button latch thing.

I believe that's why the fingerprints appear where they do then.  People will put their hand against a sliding window to move it usually - I think there's video of the PJ doing this from outside the apartment, just as an aside.  The other prints may have been too smudged to pick out.