So how did the abductor enter and leave the apartment?

[Albertini]

Let's look at the issue of the open window and shutter.

If the shutters were up at Matthew's check on the twins and if Jane Tanner saw an abductor at 9:15 (we can presume the shutter was up then) then here's my question.

Why did Jane Tanner and then Russell O'Brien not notice the open shutter and window on their walk to their apartment and on the way back after the abductor had left the apartment?

Isn't that four visits past the car park and at none of those walks past an open window and shutter weren't noticed. How could that be?

Here's an image at that time from the pavement:

[Lace]

That is in daylight of course.

[Albertini]

That is in daylight of course.

Of course, but at night time the contrast would be fully visible against the white washed walls bearing in mind Gerry states that they found the shutters almost fully up.

Four visits past there and no one saw them up? On an apartment they knew their friends children were in and were all "checking"?

That's the stretching the bounds of credibility.

[AnneGuedes]

Dubious red herring, if, by chance and in spite of the fact that "every one checked only on their kids", one of them had spotted such a revealing detail before the Smith family crossed a child carrier.

[Albertini]

Actually just revisiting the relevent sections of the statements there were more than four visits past the apartment window.

Jane Tanner went to relieve Russell around 9:35-9:40.
Matthew did his check at 9:30 both of his apartment and the McCann's.

And of course Jez Wilkins did not see it either on his way back to his apartment.

So we are up to EIGHT visits by the group and one by Jez past the shutter and window and no one reported seeing the shutter open.

What are the chances of that happening, particularly when they were all "on watch" of each others apartment?

[AnneGuedes]

We don't know whether JW went back around the corner or took the path between the resort and the patios.
On the way out of the car park, it's unlikely someone would spot this window.

[Carana]

Actually just revisiting the relevent sections of the statements there were more than four visits past the apartment window.

Jane Tanner went to relieve Russell around 9:35-9:40.
Matthew did his check at 9:30 both of his apartment and the McCann's.

And of course Jez Wilkins did not see it either on his way back to his apartment.

So we are up to EIGHT visits by the group and one by Jez past the shutter and window and no one reported seeing the shutter open.

What are the chances of that happening, particularly when they were all "on watch" of each others apartment?

That photo was taken by someone who wanted to show the window, which is different from someone passing by looking towards the main entrance to the building.

Heri posted lots of photos from different angles in both daylight and in the evening (although the lighting had been improved when he was there and the trees were cut down).

[Albertini]

That photo was taken by someone who wanted to show the window, which is different from someone passing by looking towards the main entrance to the building.

Heri posted lots of photos from different angles in both daylight and in the evening (although the lighting had been improved when he was there and the trees were cut down).

Yes I have seen those photos which is why i didn't post them, because it seems a large spotlight has been added above the apartment since the disappearance.

Given that there were eight trips past that car park i find it inconceivable that no one noticed an open shutter particularly as they were all keen on checking each other's apartments.

Indeed in the case of Matthew he had walked past the apartment window on his 9:35 check, then hopped back through the patio into Gerry's apartment (how he did then when no one said they opened the patio shutter Rachel she said was closed is another issue altogether) and said that he thought natural light was coming into the bedroom.

Would that not have prompted a think about whether or not just a few minutes before he had seen the shutter up?

Again, inconceivable.

[Lace]

Why did Amaral insist that the window had been cleaned the previous day?


- Why would a cleaner clean a window - which apparently had the shutter permanently down - in the middle of the week - as opposed to the turn-around day?


- The cleaner's statement makes no mention of it.

That is a very good point Carana,  do the cleaners usually clean the windows?

I have never seen a cleaner cleaning the windows when I have been away.   They come in change the bed and towels, wipe around the surfaces and vacuum.   

[Lace]

Of course, but at night time the contrast would be fully visible against the white washed walls bearing in mind Gerry states that they found the shutters almost fully up.

Four visits past there and no one saw them up? On an apartment they knew their friends children were in and were all "checking"?

That's the stretching the bounds of credibility.

Not if you weren't really looking at the window and just walking quickly by.    The curtains were drawn, in that light unless you go right up to it it would look as though the shutter was down.

[Albertini]

Not if you weren't really looking at the window and just walking quickly by.    The curtains were drawn, in that light unless you go right up to it it would look as though the shutter was down.

Well that is your interpretation ans certainly not mine. The shutters up would contrast very heavily with the white washed walls and white closed shutters.

I suggest it is impossible for eight seperate visits past those shutters and for not one of them to notice the shutter was up.

For one thing the white central frame of the window would stand out against the darkness from the room behind it if the shutters were up, replacing the solid white/cream colour when the shutter is down.

As you can see from the photos in the files:

[Benice]

Well that is your interpretation ans certainly not mine. The shutters up would contrast very heavily with the white washed walls and white closed shutters.

I suggest it is impossible for eight seperate visits past those shutters and for not one of them to notice the shutter was up.

For one thing the white central frame of the window would stand out against the darkness from the room behind it if the shutters were up, replacing the solid white/cream colour when the shutter is down.

As you can see from the photos in the files:

The window is not in the direct line of sight of anyone walking across the carpark to the apartment block  -  and walking back to the road from the block they would have their backs to it.   People look where they are walking - so they wouldn't see the window in  5A  unless they had a particlar reason to look across in that direction. 

Heri posted an arial  photograph with a dotted  line showing  JT'and Russells path across the car park which showed quite plainly how easy it was for them not to have seen the window.

Unless you were  specifically looking to see whether the shutters where up or down, then why would you pay any particular attention to the windows anyway - when you had no reason to.

 

[DCI]

The window is not in the direct line of sight of anyone walking across the carpark to the apartment block  -  and walking back to the road from the block they would have their backs to it.   People look where they are walking - so they wouldn't see the window in  5A  unless they had a particlar reason to look across in that direction. 

Heri posted an arial  photograph with a dotted  line showing  JT'and Russells path across the car park which showed quite plainly how easy it was for them not to have seen the window.

Unless you were  specifically looking to see whether the shutters where up or down, then why would you pay any particular attention to the windows anyway - when you had no reason to.

Jez doesn't appear to have gone past the front of the apartment. You wouldn't see the window, coming up or going down, the hill. I believe there would have also been cars parked, also hiding the view. The lighting is mainly from the centre of the block, where the lift is, all IMO!

Q. Relative to the exact location you met Gerry'
I left my apartment pushing my son's pram so that he could sleep. I did not have a particular direction to follow nor did I have a specific time to do this. I left the apartment and turned right. I walked via the lower street, looked to the building block where the McCann apartment was situated and saw a woman dressed in purple clothing. I referred to this woman in relation to the questions asked by Jane Tanner. At the next crossing, I turned right and continued on down the hill.
At this point, I saw a man that was coming from the road and was headed to the reception. I believe that he was with a woman but I cannot be precise of any detail about her. It was a tall Caucasian man, with blonde hair in 'rasta style' tied with a band instead of free flowing. When I arrived, I headed to the WC near the pool area. He also was in the WC but appeared to be a taking a long time. I do not remember if he was still in that place when I left. I did not see a woman in that zone. I had never before seen this man and did not see him after this.

The next morning, after having become aware of Madeleine's disappearance, we went to breakfast and left the children in the club. Bridget and I returned to the apartment and minutes afterward, a uniformed police officer, accompanied by a British man serving as interpreter, showed up. Later we came to know him as Robert Murat. I do not remember if he gave me his details but recently when I was cleaning a bag, I came across a card with his name and telephone number. I believe that he may have given this to me so that we could contact him in case we had any additional information to offer. The police officer asked us if we had noticed anything out of the normal and Robert Murat translated. I spoke to him of the 'rasta man' and the police officer took some notes on paper. He also noted our names and passport numbers. During the days that followed, as we passed through the police cordon, we noticed Robert Murat on numerous occasions. On Friday, the 4th of May or Saturday, 5th of May 2007, at one of the police cordons, I again saw Robert Murat. He told me that they had investigated the lead of the 'rasta man' but that he was a local man and that everything was okay. He thanked me for my collaboration. I never saw Robert prior to his visit to our apartment with the police officer.

After leaving the WC, I continued to walk around the back of the tennis court, and returned via the pathway opposite the pool in the Tapas complex. Whilst walking the streets, I was hoping my son would fall asleep. Some of the walkways did not have an exit and for this reason I walked practically in circles. When walking one of these paths, I came across a tourist called Curtis with his girlfriend whose name I do not know. He also knew Gerry from the tennis lessons. I remember passing by them but I assumed they were headed to dinner.

Eventually, I left one road to the other side of the street to the pool complex, between the McCann apartment and the Tapas Bar. In order to visualise this street, I believe it was the street most used by the news agencies and journalists as all the parked cars indicated during the coverage period.

When I left the street, I remember seeing Gerry on the other side of the same. I believe that there was some speculation in the press regarding the circumstances of this encounter. I remember that I crossed the street to talk to Gerry. According to what I remember, Gerry was walking when I spotted him. As I mentioned previously, I assumed that he had gone to check on the children and was headed back to the Tapas Bar.
From what I remember, the conversation happened right there on the pathway but I am not certain who was located exactly where.

http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/JEREMY-WILKINS-ROGATORY.htm

[Albertini]

The window is not in the direct line of sight of anyone walking across the carpark to the apartment block  -  and walking back to the road from the block they would have their backs to it.   People look where they are walking - so they wouldn't see the window in  5A  unless they had a particular reason to look across in that direction. 

Heri posted an aerial  photograph with a dotted  line showing  JT'and Russells path across the car park which showed quite plainly how easy it was for them not to have seen the window.

Unless you were  specifically looking to see whether the shutters where up or down, then why would you pay any particular attention to the windows anyway - when you had no reason to.

 

 I disagree. The last image kindly posted by DCi clearly shows that when walking out of the car park to the road the window is easily visible to anyone walking that way.

Remember Gerry said it was lifted virtually all the way up. It would and should have stood out a mile.

See here:



I maintain it is impossible for eight visits on that road between the group not to see the shutter open.

[Albertini]

Not if you weren't really looking at the window and just walking quickly by.    The curtains were drawn, in that light unless you go right up to it it would look as though the shutter was down.

No it would not, because you would clearly see the white frame of the windows against the blackness of the room behind it  rather than a solid block of light coloured shutter.