Suggestions they could be looking into reports the three-year-old was
abducted and smuggled over the border to Spain
Detectives investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann have
flown to Spain as part of a review into the case.
Two officers from Scotland Yard travelled to Barcelona two weeks ago to
liaise with officers as part of a review of the whole investigation.
They would not confirm their specific reasons for travelling to the
city, however it is thought they might be looking into reports the
three-year-old was abducted and smuggled over the border to Spain.
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Two officers from Scotland Yard travelled to Barcelona in
the last two weeks to liaise with officers as part of a
review of the disappearance of Madeleine |
This morning Clarence Mitchell, the McCann's spokesman told MailOnline:
'Kate and Gerry welcome the on-going work by the Metropolitan Police and
they are pleased that the investigative review is making progress.'
The trip is part of the Met Police's 'investigative review' into all the
work done since the investigation into the missing three-year-old began.
It was ordered by Prime Minister David Cameron and Home Secretary
Theresa May in May last year.
As part of the review detectives have also travelled to Portugal three
times to speak with officers who worked on the original investigation.
They also spent the first five months reading all the information from
the case file which had to be translated from Portuguese to English.
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Kate
McCann and Gerry McCann arrive at the High Court in London
to give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry last month
|
There are no suggestions of any major breakthroughs in the case.
The Evening Standard said officers could be investigating one theory
that the toddler was abducted by a paedophile gang and smuggled over the
border to Spain either in a vehicle or by boat.
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Detectives
released this computer generated image of a woman, said to
resemble Victoria Beckham in2009 |
There were sightings of a girl matching Madeleine's appearance in Spain
shortly after she vanished and Portuguese authorities were criticised
for not informing border officials for 12 hours after they first knew
she was missing.
In September 2009 the McCann's received 1,000 reports following an
appeal over a Victoria Beckham lookalike seen in Barcelona who they
thought may be connected to the disappearance of their daughter.
Investigators wanted to trace the woman, said to have been acting
suspiciously, who asked a witness at a Barcelona marina if he was there
to deliver her 'new daughter' on May 7 2007.
The well-dressed woman was described as possibly having an Australian
accent and appeared agitated.
Madeline, from Rothley, Leicestershire, vanished from Portuguese holiday
resort Praia da Luz in the Algarve four years ago. She was asleep in the
family's holiday apartment with her brother Sean and sister Amelie when
she vanished on May 3 2007 shortly before her fourth birthday.
Her parents Gerry and Kate McCann, both doctors, were eating at a nearby
tapas restaurant with friends at the time.
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How
Madeleine McCann might look now (left) and with dark brown
hair and tanned skin in case she has been living in north
Africa (right) |
A Met Police spokesman said two officers had travelled to Portugal three
times for the investigative review and two officers travelled to the
Spanish city between November 23 and 25.
He would not reveal any further details but added: 'The investigative
review is on-going.'
The official Portuguese and Leicestershire police investigation into
Madeleine's disappearance ended in July 2008. However private detectives
working for the McCann's have been working to trace her ever since. |