Scotland Yard searches for clues about Madeleine McCann in Barcelona
14 December 2011 | Posted by
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by Makya Navarro (Madrid)
Police from the Scotland Yard search for clues about the mysterious disappearance of the little girl, Madeleine McCann, which occurred in May 3, 2007 at the Portuguese Algarve, where she was on holidays with her parents. The little girl disappeared a few days before her fourth birthday.
The British agents collected yesterday from the investigative agency Método 3 various boxes with copies of all the documentation that this private detectives accumulated during the six months they have worked for the parents of the girl. The London Metropolitan police reopened last May the review by order of the prime minister, David Cameron, and due to the request made by the parents.
Since then, Scotland Yard, reviews the investigations that were carried out, accordingly. They also have available a copy of the Portuguese police investigations, that archived the case in July of 2008 due to lack of evidence. Scotland Yard has allocated thirty people to this new investigation.
In the night of her disappearance, Madeleine slept in a bungalow in Praia da Luz with her two siblings whilst her parents dined at the near by bar.
Neither the police investigation, nor the private searches supported by the parents, nor the noisy media circus created around the dozens of alleged clues of the most varied kind have been able to explain what happened.
in El Periódico de Cataluña, 14 December 2011
At the time of this post this is the only online article in Spanish that mentions Scotland Yard and the Spanish detective agency Método 3 (PDF in Spanish here)
The Spin from the UK media
Maddy police 'following eight major new leads'
by Tom Worden in Barcelona and Justin Davenport
Four officers yesterday visited the Barcelona HQ of Metodo 3, the agency employed to look for her by Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry for six months after she vanished.
The British officers, from a 30-strong Met team reviewing the case, took away 30 boxes of documents compiled by the private detectives.
The agency's director, Francisco Marco, said there were "six, seven or eight very important leads" within the files which he claimed could help police to solve the case.
Madeleine, of Rothley in Leicestershire, disappeared from her parents' holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on the Algarve in Portugal in May 2007. She was days short of her fourth birthday.
It is the second visit by British officers, who were in Barcelona last month. Mr Marco said on Spanish TV today: "We have provided them with all the documents and information we have collated worldwide about Madeleine's disappearance so they can continue the investigations we carried out in Spain, Morocco and the rest of the world.
"I think there are six, seven or eight very important leads in there."
He claimed Portuguese police ignored the leads for political reasons, and that when his investigators visited Portugal, "we were never allowed to do a proper job. The English police are now continuing with an investigation which should never have been closed".
Asked if he believed Madeleine is still alive, Mr Marco said: "When we were investigating we were always trying to find a living child. Hopefully for the parents she will be found alive."
Madeleine's parents, who have younger twins, a boy and a girl, hired Metodo 3 to find Madeleine four months after she vanished, for a reported £50,000 a month.
The agency, which it was claimed had 40 staff working on the case, sent a team to Morocco to chase up leads that she might have been smuggled out of Portugal.
Today Mr Marco said he still believed that was "very possibly" what happened to her but he refused to give more details on the leads.
in The Evening Standard, 14 December 2011
Update
Private detective says up to eight strong leads in Madeleine McCann's disappearance were ignored by Portuguese police
From the same churnalist Tom Worden
30 boxes of files handed over to Scotland Yard
Agency followed leads in Spain and Morocco
Portuguese police criticised for closing case
Scotland Yard detectives searching for Madeleine McCann are examining up to eight 'very important' new leads after meeting private investigators in Spain, it emerged today.
On Tuesday four detectives visited the Barcelona headquarters of Metodo 3 - a Spanish agency that spent six months working for Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry.
The British officers - from a 30-strong Metropolitan Police team carrying out a review of the case - took away around 30 boxes of documents compiled by the private investigators.
Afterwards the agency's director, Francisco Marco, said there were 'six, seven or eight very important leads' within the files that could help police locate Madeleine.
Mr Marco also criticised Portuguese police for failing to follow up those leads, and for shelving the Madeleine investigation.
He was a guest on the Spanish TV show The Ana Rosa Programme this morning, and said: 'We have provided [Scotland Yard] with all the documents and information we have collated worldwide about Madeleine's disappearance so they can continue the investigations we carried out in Spain, Morocco and the rest of the world.
'I think there are six, seven or eight very important leads in there.
'They were passed at the time to Portuguese police who ignored them because it was a very politicised issue and they didn't want to look into anything that didn't come from their own sources... because of Portuguese chauvinism in this case, because they didn't want the English [police] or private detectives to discover more than they did.
'Every time anyone from Metodo 3 went to Portugal they were continually followed and monitored to see what they were doing.
'We were never allowed to do a proper job. Scotland Yard can now continue with all the work we did outside of Portugal and inside Portugal as well.
'The English police are now continuing with an investigation which should never have been closed.'
Asked if he believed Madeleine was still alive, Mr Marco said: 'When we were investigating we were always trying to find a living child.
'I'm not going to answer your question because I don't want to offend the parents.
'Hopefully for the parents she will be found alive. I am a father, and to lose a child and not know where he or she is is the worst thing in the world.'
Today Barcelona-based newspaper El Periodico de Catalunya published photographs of the Scotland Yard detectives, wearing suits, leaving the offices of Metodo 3, in the plush Eixample district of the city.
Metodo 3 were hired by the McCanns to look for their daughter in September 2007 - four months after Madeleine, days short of her fourth birthday, went missing during a family holiday in Praia da Luz, on the Algarve.
They were reportedly paid £50,000 a month to search for Madeleine and sent a team to Morocco to chase up leads that she might have been smuggled out of Portugal to north Africa.
Mr Marco was in daily contact with doctors Kate and Gerry, from Rothley, Leicestershire, and claimed he had 40 staff working on the case.
In December 2007 he was criticised after claiming in a newspaper interview that he knew who had abducted Madeleine and would have her home for Christmas.
Metodo 3 continued to work part-time on the search for Madeleine after their six-month contract - funded by the McCanns' backer Brian Kennedy and the Find Madeleine Fund - expired.
Today Mr Marco said he still believed it was 'very possible' Madeleine had been smuggled out of Portugal to Morocco. He refused to go into further detail about the nature of the fresh leads.
Also included in the files taken by Scotland Yard are investigations the agency carried out into Raymond Hewlett, a convicted British paedophile who was in Portugal when Madeleine went missing and left for Morocco three weeks later.
Hewlett, an ex-soldier and convicted child rapist, died of throat cancer aged 64 in Germany last year having refused to talk to detectives about Madeleine's disappearance.
Prime Minister David Cameron asked the Met to examine all the evidence connected to the Madeleine case in July.
Scotland Yard detectives travelled to Spain last month to meet with officers from the National Police and Civil Guard force.
They were also reportedly interested in chasing up a suspicious incident in Barcelona three days after Madeleine went missing.
A well-dressed woman with an Australian or New Zealand accent, described as looking like Victoria Beckham, is said to have approached a British tourist in the city's port area and asked him: 'Are you here to deliver my new daughter?'
in Daily Mail, 14 December 2011 (at 14:37)
Related to Método 3 (in no particular order)
«A Scotland Yard spokesman refused to confirm the meeting took place.
“We will not be providing a running commentary,” he added.
Family spokesman Clarence Mitchell added: “Kate and Gerry will simply not be commenting whilst the Metropolitan Police review of Madeleine’s case is under way.
“They remain pleased that the Met team is continuing its work and that progress is being made.”»
in The Mirror, Irish Examiner, etc
Francisco Marco:We know who took Madeleine - and she'll be home by Christmas'
Madeleine McCann and Metodo 3: Private eyes, public lies
More Metodo 3 "witnesses" : Lawyer Claims Madeleine Raped, Murdered and Dumped
Madeleine: Pictured in handcuffs, the McCann detective once held over phone tapping
McCann Spin: Gypsy link to Maddie
Is Maddie Still Alive?
News Recap: Amaral, McCanns, Halligen and a FOIA request
Metodo 3: The Spanish CIA?
Former McCann detectives Metodo3 Investigated by Judge
Brian Kennedy No Longer Paying for the Maddie Campaign
Agents without abduction leads - Correio da Manhã
McCann Hired More Private Investigators
McCanns New Detectives Face Criticism
McCanns: Metodo 3 Back in Action?!
Metodo 3: Francisco Marco in Court
El Mundo Journalist Arrested for Alleged connections to Drug Traffickers
McCanns and Metodo 3: The Spanish Connection?
Metodo 3 and Team Mccann U-Turn
McCanns are 'wasting fund cash on Madeleine hunt in Morocco'
Maddie and Joana: Crossing Paths - SIC In-Depth Report
Leonor’s lawyer received money from the McCanns - 24Horas
Maddie and Joana: Esotericism, plot, psychotic disturbance or a mere case of fooling the public?
One lawyer, three visions and a deafening silence
Cipriano/McCann Case: Aragao Denies He is Being Paid Just to Frame Gonçalo Amaral
Detectives Hired by the McCanns want to Frame Gonçalo Amaral
McCanns' Mission Impossible: Scaling Down the Search that Never Was or Honey, I Shrunk the Search!
McCanns want evidence - 24Horas
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