Melanie
October 30th, 2007, 04:08 AM
McCanns: Now police believe us over Madeleine
EXCLUSIVE Police finally accept Madeleine was snatched
By Stewart Maclean 30/10/2007
Kate and Gerry McCann got a massive boost last night as Portuguese police finally acted on their unwavering conviction that Madeleine was kidnapped.
Six months into the case, officers staged a reconstruction of the night the four-year-old was taken from her holiday flat.
A close friend of the couple said: "At last, after all these months, Kate and Gerry's story is being believed. They are very encouraged by the re-enactment of Madeleine's abduction and that police now accept their version of events - because that is what happened.
"They have always insisted that she was taken from the flat and want the police to concentrate on finding her. This is a positive step towards that."
The new officer in charge of the case Paulo Rebelo and six detectives spent three hours at the McCanns' flat in Praia da Luz yesterday.
The team thoroughly examined the windows and shutters before leaving the block to pace out possible escape routes.
One officer then passed a large bundle through the window of the bedroom where Madeleine was sleeping to re-enact the moment an abductor could have snatched her on May 3.
Another detective clambered through the window. The team also checked other key locations in the probe, including the home of suspect Robert Murat and the house of Sergei Malinka, a computer expert linked to Murat.
One holidaymaker said: "I noticed them around the apartment block in the afternoon.
"The man in charge seemed to be gesturing to the others as if he was directing them through different scenarios."
Rebelo's reconstruction is the clearest sign since he took the reins of the probe three weeks ago that he believes Madeleine was snatched from the flat.
It is a reversal of sacked predecessor Goncalo Amaral's belief that Kate and Gerry were responsible for their daughter's disappearance. This led to them being named suspects.
The McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "We welcome any indication that the Portuguese police are taking the abduction theory seriously because that is what happened."
EXCLUSIVE Police finally accept Madeleine was snatched
By Stewart Maclean 30/10/2007
Kate and Gerry McCann got a massive boost last night as Portuguese police finally acted on their unwavering conviction that Madeleine was kidnapped.
Six months into the case, officers staged a reconstruction of the night the four-year-old was taken from her holiday flat.
A close friend of the couple said: "At last, after all these months, Kate and Gerry's story is being believed. They are very encouraged by the re-enactment of Madeleine's abduction and that police now accept their version of events - because that is what happened.
"They have always insisted that she was taken from the flat and want the police to concentrate on finding her. This is a positive step towards that."
The new officer in charge of the case Paulo Rebelo and six detectives spent three hours at the McCanns' flat in Praia da Luz yesterday.
The team thoroughly examined the windows and shutters before leaving the block to pace out possible escape routes.
One officer then passed a large bundle through the window of the bedroom where Madeleine was sleeping to re-enact the moment an abductor could have snatched her on May 3.
Another detective clambered through the window. The team also checked other key locations in the probe, including the home of suspect Robert Murat and the house of Sergei Malinka, a computer expert linked to Murat.
One holidaymaker said: "I noticed them around the apartment block in the afternoon.
"The man in charge seemed to be gesturing to the others as if he was directing them through different scenarios."
Rebelo's reconstruction is the clearest sign since he took the reins of the probe three weeks ago that he believes Madeleine was snatched from the flat.
It is a reversal of sacked predecessor Goncalo Amaral's belief that Kate and Gerry were responsible for their daughter's disappearance. This led to them being named suspects.
The McCanns' spokesman Clarence Mitchell said: "We welcome any indication that the Portuguese police are taking the abduction theory seriously because that is what happened."