Security at the secondary reception entrance.

[Robittybob1]

Yes because of the big area being the car park they lost the scent. The first tracking dog crossed the road from the lamppost to the entrance. Madeleine had used that shortcut route from Tuesday 1 May 2007 onwards so it is no surprise that the dogs found her scent there.

My friend who has considerable experience with tracking dogs in hunting, says a good dog is able to work out direction of travel too.  You could imagine this as being essential e.g. dog tracking a rabbit wants to know which direction it went.  So she thought the scent would be stronger where the trail is newer so the dog notices and increasing scent trail when moving in the right direction. 

If this is the case the dog is looking for the trail that appears to confirm Madeleine leaving the apartment rather than one where she is arriving at the apartment as you describe.

[pathfinder73]

Madeleine left the apartment using the pathway route and crossed the road to the lamppost and used the shortcut route to the creche. Gerry took her there on 3 May 2007.



Subsequently an attempt was made to reconstruct the route taken by Madeleine by giving the dogs a blanket/towel used by her, but the results were not significant, given that the dogs are more trained for use in rural areas rather than urban or populated areas, the existence of more odours in the air making it impossible for the tracker dog to identify/locate the “target smell”. http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LEGAL_SUMMARY.htm

3 May 2007
After breakfast they got dressed and left the apartment by the main door. All children went walking. The veranda door was closed and locked; she doesn't know whether the main door was locked or unlocked.

After leaving the apartment they left the twins at the creche next to the Tapas; at the same time she supposes that Gerry took Madeleine to the creche next to the 24-hour reception area.  http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/KATE-MCCANN_ARGUIDO.htm

3 May 2007
They made their way on foot by the usual route to the creche next to the TAPAS where they left the twins, and, while KATE stayed to play tennis he took MADELEINE to her creche, through the short-cut. http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/GERRY-MCCANN-10MAY.htm

[Robittybob1]

Madeleine left the apartment using the pathway route and crossed the road to the lamppost and used the shortcut route to the creche. Gerry took her there on 3 May 2007.



Subsequently an attempt was made to reconstruct the route taken by Madeleine by giving the dogs a blanket/towel used by her, but the results were not significant, given that the dogs are more trained for use in rural areas rather than urban or populated areas, the existence of more odours in the air making it impossible for the tracker dog to identify/locate the “target smell”. http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LEGAL_SUMMARY.htm

.... snip ....

OK I have confirmed that the quote from the legal summary included the words "towel/blanket".  Now was that towel and blanket or are they not able to distinguish between a towel or the blanket?

[G-Unit]

OK I have confirmed that the quote from the legal summary included the words "towel/blanket".  Now was that towel and blanket or are they not able to distinguish between a towel or the blanket?

They used both. The pink blanket was handed out first and the towel was given to the second team to arrive. All the dogs followed the same route on three different occasions.

The pink blanket was given to the GNR dog handler at around 2,30am;

They were given a pink/orange blanket that the child had been covered with in her bed.......His dog's speciality is patrolling (Maintenance of Public Order) although the dog also has some training in "tracking".
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/CARLOS-LACAO.htm

Trained search and rescue dogs arrived from near Lisbon on 4th and;

He remembers that on the 4th of May of the current year, around 23H00, they attempted to tentatively identify and thus reconstruct the path taken by the missing minor. They gave the dogs a Turkish bath towel which was supposedly used by the child in question. This operation was realised by two different dogs.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/ANTONIO_SILVA.htm

These dogs were used again;

Yesterday (08.05.2007) around 23H45, this search action was repeated but this time the dogs were sent into blocks 5 and 4 of the ‘Ocean Club’ resort......The initial diligence carried out with first sniffer dog, after having sniffed the towel used in the previous operation
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/ANTONIO_SILVA.htm

[Robittybob1]

They used both. The pink blanket was handed out first and the towel was given to the second team to arrive. All the dogs followed the same route on three different occasions.

The pink blanket was given to the GNR dog handler at around 2,30am;

They were given a pink/orange blanket that the child had been covered with in her bed.......His dog's speciality is patrolling (Maintenance of Public Order) although the dog also has some training in "tracking".
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/CARLOS-LACAO.htm

Trained search and rescue dogs arrived from near Lisbon on 4th and;

He remembers that on the 4th of May of the current year, around 23H00, they attempted to tentatively identify and thus reconstruct the path taken by the missing minor. They gave the dogs a Turkish bath towel which was supposedly used by the child in question. This operation was realised by two different dogs.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/ANTONIO_SILVA.htm

These dogs were used again;

Yesterday (08.05.2007) around 23H45, this search action was repeated but this time the dogs were sent into blocks 5 and 4 of the ‘Ocean Club’ resort......The initial diligence carried out with first sniffer dog, after having sniffed the towel used in the previous operation
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/ANTONIO_SILVA.htm

So how do you feel when you read the final report? "Subsequently an attempt was made to reconstruct the route taken by Madeleine by giving the dogs a blanket/towel used by her, but the results were not significant, given that the dogs are more trained for use in rural areas rather than urban or populated areas, the existence of more odours in the air making it impossible for the tracker dog to identify/locate the “target smell”." http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/LEGAL_SUMMARY.htm

If three teams of dogs followed the same track, to me that is significant and the fact they didn't locate the target, suggest to me that an abduction is more than possible.  For the trail to stop suggest the target has been lifted up at that point.

[pathfinder73]

Berry/Balu were near there on their balcony and heard nowt. Fenn heard her crying loudly but not a sound that night. It doesn't add up to woke and wandered screaming for her daddy.

[Robittybob1]

Berry/Balu were near there on their balcony and heard nowt. Fenn heard her crying loudly but not a sound that night. It doesn't add up to woke and wandered screaming for her daddy.

Only you have determined that she was screaming.  I just think of her being determined to go and find her mummy.

[Robittybob1]

Since I have ascertained that there was a possibility that the reception door was shut I was curious if there was any evidence that the Tapas friends were aware of this.  I was thinking if the door was open they would look on inside as well as the outside.  If they knew it was closed and needed a security card to open it, they would tend to look in areas on the outside of the Ocean Club reception area.

This from Russell's rogatory "When Kate raised the alarm she didn’t get to the table as the area was all enclosed, she was at the start of the path she shouted across to us.  We ran out through the reception we were all in a panic some people went into the flat I stayed outside, I then conducted a quick search of the immediate area with Matt, Dave and possibly Gerry.  We searched a cul-de-sac area which I would describe as being a passage way at the front of the block on the car park side.  We went on to search the gardens and patios.  Then we went downhill towards the centre.  On the second search we went to the shopping centre and then towards the tennis courts.  We searched around the back of the tennis courts."

We searched a cul-de-sac area which I would describe as being a passage way at the front of the block on the car park side.  - outside of the Ocean Club reception area

We went on to search the gardens and patios.   - outside of the Ocean Club reception area

Then we went downhill towards the centre.  - outside of the Ocean Club reception area
On the second search we went to the shopping centre - outside of the Ocean Club reception area
 and then towards the tennis courts.  - outside of the Ocean Club reception area
We searched around the back of the tennis courts. - outside of the Ocean Club reception area.

[Robittybob1]

if the door was wide open you would think it was just as likely Madeleine was lost within the Tapas area itself. Had she gone to the play ground or the kids pool?  Had she slipped and fallen into the main pool? was she sleeping on a deck chair on the far side of the pool area?  Why would the only look on the outside areas of the reception door?

[Brietta]

if the door was wide open you would think it was just as likely Madeleine was lost within the Tapas area itself. Had she gone to the play ground or the kids pool?  Had she slipped and fallen into the main pool? was she sleeping on a deck chair on the far side of the pool area?  Why would the only look on the outside areas of the reception door?

In my opinion the very first areas to be searched for a missing child would be paddling or swimming pools and I would be astounded if all searchers and staff using Mark Warner missing child protocols didn't take that into consideration.

[Robittybob1]

In my opinion the very first areas to be searched for a missing child would be paddling or swimming pools and I would be astounded if all searchers and staff using Mark Warner missing child protocols didn't take that into consideration.

I am sure the Mark Warner staff had every area covered but I'm principally looking at the Tapas 9 and where they looked immediately afterwards.

I too was astounded the the Tapas friends didn't check the pool.

[Angelo222]

I am sure the Mark Warner staff had every area covered but I'm principally looking at the Tapas 9 and where they looked immediately afterwards.

I too was astounded the the Tapas friends didn't check the pool.

Given the pools proximity to the apartment surely it would have been one of the first places to be checked in case the missing child had fallen in.

[sadie]

Since I have ascertained that there was a possibility that the reception door was shut I was curious if there was any evidence that the Tapas friends were aware of this.  I was thinking if the door was open they would look on inside as well as the outside.  If they knew it was closed and needed a security card to open it, they would tend to look in areas on the outside of the Ocean Club reception area.

This from Russell's rogatory "When Kate raised the alarm she didn’t get to the table as the area was all enclosed, she was at the start of the path she shouted across to us.  We ran out through the reception we were all in a panic some people went into the flat I stayed outside, I then conducted a quick search of the immediate area with Matt, Dave and possibly Gerry.  We searched a cul-de-sac area which I would describe as being a passage way at the front of the block on the car park side.  We went on to search the gardens and patios.  Then we went downhill towards the centre.  On the second search we went to the shopping centre and then towards the tennis courts.  We searched around the back of the tennis courts."

We searched a cul-de-sac area which I would describe as being a passage way at the front of the block on the car park side.  - outside of the Ocean Club reception area

We went on to search the gardens and patios.  - outside of the Ocean Club reception area

Then we went downhill towards the centre.  - outside of the Ocean Club reception area
On the second search we went to the shopping centre - outside of the Ocean Club reception area
 and then towards the tennis courts.  - outside of the Ocean Club reception area
We searched around the back of the tennis courts. - outside of the Ocean Club reception area.

Are all the, "- outside the Ocean Club reception area" from Russells Rog? ... or are they your words, Rob?

Cos, I dont think we can be sure which parking area Russell means
1)  The parking at the front of block 5  ?  ...  or
2)  Opposite the Tapas reception area?


The fact that more than one person searched the Tapas area, points to the fact that the Tapas Reception building entrance had its doors open.

IMO,  No point in searching where Madeleine could NOT have gained entrance, was there ?

[sadie]

I am sure the Mark Warner staff had every area covered but I'm principally looking at the Tapas 9 and where they looked immediately afterwards.

I too was astounded the the Tapas friends didn't check the pool.

IMO Some of them did.  Cant remember which.

[jassi]

I have the impression (from photos) that the area including the pools were illuminated at night. Is this correct?