'I Know How She Was Taken'

Source: Sunday Express

Madeleine McCann was abducted by at least two kidnappers who must have carried out several dry runs in the days leading up to her disappearance.

After spending a week on the ground investigating the case and the methods used by the kidnappers, I can only conclude that they must have entered the apartment to carry out a rehearsal, because they were working to an incred­ibly tight schedule. The three-minute time frame they allowed themselves left no margin for error.

But even though they did their homework with meticulous care, they still came within seconds of capture. I believe the focus of the investigation for the private investigators hired by Madeleine’s parents should be on a breakdown of who was in and around the Mark Warner Ocean Club in Praia da Luz throughout their holiday.

It is more than probable key witnesses would have seen the kidnappers in the days and nights leading up to the abduction on May 3, 2007. Such was the narrow window of opportunity, only agile, sharp-witted people well-practised in breaking and entering properties could have pulled this off.

Over the past week I have conducted a cold case review of most of the available evidence relating to the abduction and had lengthy discussions with numerous Portuguese sources who cannot be identified.

Crucial to unravelling the whole case is establishing what precisely took place from 8pm to 10.15pm on the night Madeleine vanished. In my view too little attention has been paid to what I believe was a key sighting. A dark-haired woman was ­observed standing near a street light at a road junction that overlooks apartment 5A. What was she doing in the ­eerily quiet area, which is not near a bus stop, taxi rank, cafes or shops?

She was seen looking at the apartment as the late evening gloom descended. Was she also watching to see the movements of Kate and Gerry McCann and their holiday friends, the so-called Tapas Seven? I think so. The same witness who saw the ­mystery woman also saw a gold or brown Nissan car driving erratically past the woman.