Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

It used to be common practice at holiday camps in the UK (eg Pontins) to have their staff listening out for crying children in the chalets, who would then contact parents who were at last getting a bit of relaxation.

It is all very well to criticise parents who do this sort of thing, but it has been pretty common practice over the years.

This 'holier than thou' attitude really isn't very helpful. We should all be concentrating on finding out the evil person who abducted this child and stop demonising the McCanns.

---------- Post added at 17:24 ---------- Previous post was at 17:23 ----------

If all lines of inquiry are exhausted, unfortunately I must agree.

---------- Post added at 17:28 ---------- Previous post was at 17:24 ----------

H'mm. Maybe it would be better if the police re-directed their resources away from motorists and historic abuse cases into those areas that the public consider more important (eg burglaries)!

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

If you believe that is the scenario.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

Belief of anything else belongs in the same category as 9/11 truthers, moon landing hoaxes and Obama birth certificate conspiracists.

All the available evidence says Madeleine McCann was abducted by person(s) unknown. Damages claims have ensued against those who have indulged their inner armchair detective with baseless speculation.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

Well "abducted by person(s) unknown" is also "baseless speculation". It's all a matter of "well that is what must have happened" with no actual proof. Entering a room that happens to have 3 children in it, with the very high risk of somebody else coming along to one of the other rooms in the building(possibly from the FREE child-checking service that the resort had), which was also subject to frequent visits to somebody from the Tapas group. How likely is that?

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

QED. :tu:

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

Not sure if I detect a whiff of sarcasm but if not, I think speeding, aggressive, dangerous, drunk drivers are very worthy of police attention. Frankly I'd like to see more traffic police. Having been burgled and knowing it's not a pleasant experience, I'd still rather be burgled than mown down by a maniac behind the wheel of a car.

I do agree that there are more important things the police could be spending millions on now, however.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

IIRC there was report that she had wandered off from the room on a previous night. If she had done that again, then it could still be accident or abduction, although abduction would still be risky.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

If I'd known my young child had wandered off on a previous occasion, it would certainly have focussed my mind on not letting him/her out of my sight.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

Given that you don't seem to understand the role evidence plays in enquiries of this kind, there is little point in engaging in a game of "how likely". I'm afraid there is a little more to it than positing scenarios and then arguing over how plausible they are.

There is an active investigation, led by the Met, which is currently pursuing - on the basis of a thorough review of all the evidence gathered over the last 8 years - the possibility that there was a sexual motive to Madeleine's disappearance. A number of suspects and witnesses have been interviewed in the past 12 months.

The sad fact is, the Portuguese police were culturally unable to understand the McCanns' behaviour both before and after their daughter disappeared, bungled their crime scene investigation and then filled the evidence vacuum with a baseless scenario in which the parents (either accidentally or deliberately) killed their daughter, then did such an expert job of covering it up, that the police could find no evidence of any crime, except of course the fact that a girl was missing. And the McCanns were said to have accomplished all this without prior planning, without any resources beyond the contents of their suitcases and their holiday money, and being away from home in a foreign country.

The idea is absurd beyond parody, but the shocking incompetence of the Portuguese police, and a willingness on the part of certain gullible sections of the British public to believe everything's a cover up (especially if the internet says so) have seen to it that, eight years later, we are still discussing it.

Be absolutely assured, however, that the Metropolitan Police are not pursuing a line of enquiry called "the parents did it".

Anyone interested in how a cold case is actually handled in real life, as opposed to on the telly, might do worse than to read this useful summary here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...the-truth.html

---------- Post added at 18:34 ---------- Previous post was at 18:31 ----------

Hardly! But there are none so blind as those that refuse to see.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

Given over the years they've completely failed to find any creditable evidence....

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

I'm sure that the thousands of motorists who have been 'done' for speeding do not consider themselves 'maniacs'.

My wife got caught out doing 33 mph in a 30 mile an hour zone. Does that constitute the driving of a 'maniac'?. It's dangerous driving rather than speeding we should be concentrating on.

The police have got their priorities out of synch with public opinion and this needs to be rectified.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

There is ZERO evidence for any particular possible scenario, so theoretically ALL options should be open. One avenue has been closed off because of sentiment and not fact.

It is difficult to sort out some of the press claims from what actually happened. Eg IIRC there were reports of "they've taken her" being said on the discovery of her being missing. If true, who was the "they" that was being referred to?
Link

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

Look, I know you're not going to be convinced by reason. You believe what you believe. Frankly I can live with that. Do however be aware that the British courts place limits on your freedom to express beliefs that damage another's reputation. Insinuating that the McCanns were responsible in some way for their daughter's disappearance, quite apart from being mule-headed, is libellous and has already cost several newspapers a lot of money.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

Curious the zeal with which they persue others who do not dance to their tune.

Re: [MERGED] Madeleine McCann
 

Putting aside my beliefs on the subject, surely it is high time they forget about this? The chances of her being alive now are slim to none. Why keep throwing taxpayers money after this investigation when there is no way she will ever be returned to Britain.