Wandering Off Topic

[Miss Taken Identity]

still kind of off topic... did we ever get to hear what John was talking about in the members only thread?

[pegasus]

Apparently a party of 7 people went for meal at CF's place including 2 children.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/681212/Freud-inquiry-over-link-with-McCanns
So who were the other 3 people?

[misty]

Apparently a party of 7 people went for meal at CF's place including 2 children.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/681212/Freud-inquiry-over-link-with-McCanns
So who were the other 3 people?

Lunch - Trisha, Sandy & Justine were the other 3. (Madeleine p.193)
Wonder who delivered the letter?

PS Pegasus - I'm still waiting to know what the fake Cardinal was doing in the sea. Please.

[pegasus]

Lunch - Trisha, Sandy & Justine were the other 3. (Madeleine p.193)
(snip)

Thanks

[pegasus]

(snip) still waiting to know what the fake Cardinal was doing in the sea. Please.

Why would anyone use a long metal rod in a search scenario?
It's obvious - to probe into the ground.
Here is a long metal rod being used by the NPIA cadaver dog team early morning 1st Aug 2007 in an area north of Rua Ramalhete.

[pegasus]

And here is a long metal rod being used as a search tool by the Metropolitan Police on wasteland south of Rua 21 Abril in June 2014

[misty]

Why would anyone use a long metal rod in a search scenario?
It's obvious - to probe into the ground.
Here is a long metal rod being used by the NPIA cadaver dog team early morning 1st Aug 2007 in an area north of Rua Ramalhete.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/P8/08_VOLUME_VIIIa_Page_2061.jpg

I'm still not getting it. Shallow water sand is constantly churned over by the waves What was he prodding/searching for if not fish?

[pegasus]

I'm still not getting it. Shallow water sand is constantly churned over by the waves What was he prodding/searching for if not fish?

I don't know what sorts of leads or theories they were working from, maybe he was probing into the submerged sand beyond low tide line for something.
What is your explanation of the footage of this strangely dressed man wading in the sea at night with a pole?

[pegasus]

Two people in that team were keen on "clock on mantelpiece" disguises and there are two proven uses of fake clergymen therefore there are probably more.

[Alice Purjorick]

Why would anyone use a long metal rod in a search scenario?
It's obvious - to probe into the ground.
Here is a long metal rod being used by the NPIA cadaver dog team early morning 1st Aug 2007 in an area north of Rua Ramalhete.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/P8/08_VOLUME_VIIIa_Page_2061.jpg

You will find the answer in "Beyond Belief" by Emlyn Williams.

[ShiningInLuz]

Why would anyone use a long metal rod in a search scenario?
It's obvious - to probe into the ground.
Here is a long metal rod being used by the NPIA cadaver dog team early morning 1st Aug 2007 in an area north of Rua Ramalhete.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/P8/08_VOLUME_VIIIa_Page_2061.jpg

I'm wary of describing this as probing into the ground with a long metal rod.  First, the ground is so hard by May that I don't think you'd get through the surface.  Second, the tool looks to me to be some variant of a hand-powered drill i.e. the handles are there for turning the tool.

[ShiningInLuz]

And here is a long metal rod being used as a search tool by the Metropolitan Police on wasteland south of Rua 21 Abril in June 2014
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/02/11/1EA9824C00000578-0-image-a-59_1423672562694.jpg

That isn't being used to probe the surface though.  The officer is using it to move aside brush or gorse, to avoid getting down with his hands to do the same.

[ShiningInLuz]

I don't know what sorts of leads or theories they were working from, maybe he was probing into the submerged sand beyond low tide line for something.
What is your explanation of the footage of this strangely dressed man wading in the sea at night with a pole?

If anyone knows the background to this team and their antics, it would be interesting to start a thread on it.  Anyone?

At the moment, working with the tiny scraps I have, here is my stab at an answer.

First, the person had a genuine belief that something related to the case was buried there, (e.g. a body or clothes) some distance under the surface of the sand, and the person was genuinely testing this out.

Second, the quote says footage, so I assume we are talking video here. And that raises the possibility it is part of a stunt, simply to 'justify' costs and expenses, as in 'We were very diligent.  Even making sure the beach was fully checked out!'

[Alice Purjorick]

I'm wary of describing this as probing into the ground with a long metal rod.  First, the ground is so hard by May that I don't think you'd get through the surface.  Second, the tool looks to me to be some variant of a hand-powered drill i.e. the handles are there for turning the tool.

It appears to be a hand auger

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=hand+auger+boring&biw=1252&bih=562&tbm=isch&imgil=XMiVD66xL9lJrM%253A%253BfLZipYAtyM5X8M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.yourarticlelibrary.com%25252Fsoil%25252Fsoil-exploration-purpose-planning-investigation-and-tests-2%25252F45821%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=XMiVD66xL9lJrM%253A%252CfLZipYAtyM5X8M%252C_&usg=__P-EuLp1Y1EHxGlvGip1zS8-HO7g%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjdkKeMkrfNAhWrIMAKHaXJD3IQyjcIVg&ei=YyloV53TG6vBgAalk7-QBw#imgrc=XMiVD66xL9lJrM%3A

[pegasus]

It appears to be a hand auger (snip)

Yes. As mentioned by Mark Harrison here
"The search utilised dogs trained to locate human remains and human blood, ground penetrating radar to detect sub surface disturbance and concealment, clearance teams to remove concealing vegetation, endoscopes to search drains and voids, and metal probes to search the ground."
and here
" The proven capability of the EVRD is to: Search to locate very small samples of human remains, body fluids and blood in any environment or terrain. Identify sub-surface depositions to a depth of approximately one metre below the surface of the ground, depending on the scent permeability of the ground. This depth is increased substantially when the ground is 'vented' prior to deployment."