Justine McGuinness, who was appointed as 'spokeswoman' during Gerry's trip home

Brief background of events

19 June 2007   Gerry takes an early-morning flight from Faro, Portugal, to Gatwick, London, landing shortly before midday. The flying visit is for a series of meetings, one of which is to appoint a campaign manager - Justine McGuinness.   On the plane to London, a man in his 80's - who has never been named - becomes ill midway through the flight. Reports on the severity of the illness range from the man simply fainting and Gerry offering assistance to the man being administered oxygen and Gerry saving his life.   Within minutes/an hour/hours of landing Gerry has his wallet stolen at an ATM at Waterloo station/cash machine near the Foreign Office in Whitehall.   According to Philomena McCann, Gerry's sister, "He bent down to put something in his rucksack and some dirty animal had the wallet out of his back pocket."   It is reported to have contained £100 cash, credit cards and two/three "irreplaceable" photographs of Madeleine that have never been seen in public and, of which, there are no copies. Reports suggest that these were Gerry's favourite pictures and that one showed Madeleine aged 15 months, while another was taken at a church shortly before her disappearance.   Some reports have suggested that the pictures included the twins and it's possible the picture taken in church may have been taken when the McCanns attended the christening of one of Jon Corner's children, at the end of March 2007 (see report at bottom of this page).   Gerry has to cancel all his credit cards, thus delaying him and causing the meetings to run on late into the evening. However, he does get to all his meetings, where he reports in his blog that there were 'very good discussions regarding sustaining the search for Madeleine long term'.   The Evening Standard reported that London police had said they 'had no record of the theft being reported to officers'. In addition, Clarence Mitchell confirmed that Gerry had attended a meeting at London's foreign office, on Tuesday, but 'could not immediately confirm details of the theft'.   20 June 2007   Gerry has another series of meetings, this time in Leicester and returns to Portugal in the 'evening', where he is met at the airport by Kate.   The entry in Kate's diary seems to imply that she collected Gerry from the airport alone. However, she was not a named driver of the Renault Scenic hire car so presumably somebody else drove, or she drove without being covered. Sandy Cameron and Michael Wright were the other named drivers, beside Gerry McCann.   She recounts how, just before they reached the apartment, they came across a 'drunk' laying in the middle of the street. She jokes that 'we've all been there!' She claims the man recognises them and Gerry then walks the man back to his apartment.   29 June 2007   Gerry uses his blog to report the return of his wallet, minus the Sterling but with his driving licence, credit cards and €30 in cash still inside. He blogs that there were also 'one or two other important things' returned, which presumably refers to the "irreplaceable" photographs of Madeleine.   It is reported that the wallet was returned to the McCanns' previous address in Queniborough, in a stamped envelope, before being forwarded to the new address in Rothley. It is reported that the address was found listed/written/scrawled on a piece of paper inside the wallet.   Brian Kennedy, Kate's uncle, suggests that either the thief decided to return it themselves or a passer-by found the discarded wallet and decided to return it. A postmark suggested it was sent from London on June 22.   Gerry states in his blog that one of 'our friends' brought the wallet back to him in Praia da Luz, whilst they were visiting for the weekend. The 'friends' have remained unnamed.

Criminal Profiling Topic of the Day: Another "Ludicrous" Theory in the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, 08 October 2007

Criminal Profiling Topic of the Day: Another "Ludicrous" Theory in the Disappearance of Madeleine McCann The Daily Profiler   Criminal Profiler Pat Brown Monday, October 8, 2007   A short time ago, I made a suggestion that the British police might investigate the McCann's residence (and the residences of friends and family of the McCanns) for the possibility that the body of Madeleine McCann might have been transported into England. Some folk immediately labeled the theory ridiculous, or ludicrous, as the McCanns would say. How, they asked, could the McCanns carry a putrefying and decaying body in a suitcase and get it on and off of an airplane? I understand that this sounds mighty foolish to many who don't work in the field of criminal investigation and profiling and they think Pat Brown is a nutcase par excellence!   Let me clear up a few misconceptions: first of all, it is a theory, not a fact. Secondly, a theory is useful to stimulate investigative avenues not yet thought of that might lead to evidence that would otherwise have been overlooked. Third, offering one theory does not mean it is the only theory or even the best theory. It is far more likely that Madeleine's body is somewhere underground in Portugal or Spain or in the ocean. These are simpler places to bury a body. It may be that the body has just not yet been discovered. This is very often the case; while rumors and theories abound about white slavery and porn rings and sightings are made of the victim all over the world, the body of the poor thing has simply been lying in a ravine for the past few months! Sometimes bodies fall into strange and difficult places or are well-buried for years. Then, one day a jogger trips over the body or a farmer turns over some soil to plant his corn, and, voila! The victim has been found.   Maddy McCann will likely be found in a similar way (unless someone did one heck of a job of hiding her). Whether a child predator took Maddy or the parents did her in, she will probably one day just be found. However, there is nothing wrong with being proactive and trying to find her sooner than later. Therefore, the police should follow all leads and theories. IF they find her sooner, than not all the evidence with the body or within the body will have been destroyed by time and nature.   So, search in Portugal and Spain and any other place one can think of. And, yes, search in England: Maddy just might be there.   Would it really be possible for one of the McCanns to cart the body of their daughter back to England? Yes, absolutely. Because of the climate in Portugal, it is possible that should they have buried Maddy in a shallow grave in a sandy substrate, her body would have mummified. Mummification is a desiccation of the corpse where the fluids drain into the ground and the rest of the body dries up. There is relatively little odor associated with a mummified body.   If this occurred, the body would be easier to transport; it would be lighter and drier and lacking the horrible smell of a corpse. Such a body could easily be placed in a sealed bag and placed in a suitcase. Screening of stowed luggage is not likely to uncover a body inside of a suitcase and when the traveler reaches the other end and goes through customs, they enter the "Have nothing to declare line," and just walk through (unless they exhibit concerning behavior that raises a red flag and launches a search of the luggage). As to the McCanns, I seriously doubt they were searched upon arrival, not with all the press surrounding them and the mass of curious onlookers, reporters, and VIPS lurking about.   IF the McCanns were involved and IF Maddy's body was brought home, when this would have happened is another question. Unfortunately, only those inside the organization would (we hope) know the truth about the McCann's movements. For example, Gerry McCann returned to England on June 19, just four days after an exhaustive search for Madeleine was called off. This search was in an arid, desolate area (the kind of climate which might encourage the mummification of a body) near a town called Odiaxere. A letter from an unknown sender had stated she could be found there in a shallow grave. Four days later, Gerry is on a plane home. I don't know if he took any luggage with him, anything more than a rucksack (which I don't know the size of). He only stayed for the day, purportedly to attend some meetings. He claims he had his wallet stolen while getting money from an ATM and later that evening, the wallet was mailed back to him. A rather peculiar story that I wonder might not be a cover for the reason he was late to his meetings; he ostensibly spent the time calling credit card companies to cancel his credit cards.   If I were the police investigator, I would follow up this lead. I would want to know what luggage Gerry took with him to England. I would try to see if there was any proof to the wallet theft story. I would find out if he had any "alone" time on the trip. I would find out if he made those phone calls to the credit card companies and if he really got money from an ATM. I would find out exactly where he was that day through any evidence of his movements (phone call tracking, receipts, witnesses, etc.). I would want to know if anyone met him, especially anyone who he could have transferred a package from one suitcase to another.   I would check all the McCann trips and look for possibly ways for them to transport a body away from Portugal. And, again, I would look for all possible places within Portugal or neighboring countries as possible places to hide or bury a body. I would check the possibility of a burial at sea.   If I were the Portuguese police, I would be following all leads, even those that lead away from the McCanns. It never hurts to be thorough. The point is to recover Madeleine, dead or alive, and bring justice to those that hurt her. In the end, it doesn't matter which theory is correct (except as an educational tool for future investigations). It only matters that the case is solved.   Criminal Profiler Pat Brown

19 June 2007

Gerry's blog, 19 June 2007 - Day 47

Flew in to London to for a series of meetings. Helped a passenger on the flight who collapsed. He was ill enough to require a full assessment on arrival and went off to hospital in an ambulance. Unfortunately shortly after arriving in London I had my wallet stolen which meant I was running late. I did manage to get to all my meetings which ran late into the evening. We had very good discussions regarding sustaining the search for Madeleine long term. The role for Kate and I in the campaign will not be nearly be so public. We have to balance any campaigning in the search for Madeleine with protecting Sean and Amelie and making sure their privacy is protected. We are exploring the use of new media and using local advertising, particularly in Europe. There will of course be event driven media exposure such as the balloon launch on Friday 22nd. There are several other very good ideas being developed and a few large companies are willing to help us.

Kate's diary, 19 June 2007 - Day 47

TUESDAY, JUNE 19: Last night I didn't manage to get to sleep until around 1am because I was so upset again. It's so painful to be without Madeleine and I can't stand to think that it could be like this forever. This simply cannot happen. Good night, good night Madeleine, I'm longing to read you a bedtime story again. I love you my little darling X.

Plea For Missing Girl Holiday Snaps, 19 June 2007

Plea For Missing Girl Holiday Snaps Sky News (article no longer available online)   Updated: 13:27, Tuesday June 19, 2007   Madeleine McCann's parents will appeal to Irish tourists to check holiday snaps for clues - while the flat their child was abducted from reportedly sold for half price.   Madeleine's parents Kate McCann, 38, and Gerry, 39, will appear on television to ask anyone who took a trip to Portugal in early May to send photos to British investigators.   A spokesman for Irish broadcaster RTE said: "They wanted to appeal to any Irish person who may have been in the Praia Da Luz area and ask them specifically ... to look at the backgrounds."   It is now around six weeks since the Leicestershire girl vanished from the Algarve holiday apartment she was sharing with her parents and two younger siblings.   Recent Irish visitors to the Portuguese holiday resort are being asked to upload their photos to the UK's Child Exploitation website -http://www.ceopupload.com/.   Mrs McCann said: "There has been so much support from Ireland. We're overwhelmed. We'd reckon half the letters we have are from the Irish."   The two-bedroom apartment the family rented in Praia da Luz went on the market for £75,000 last week.   A British couple offered the asking price within days and they have already completed the deal, according to Portuguese newspapers.   The Sun said the market rate for similar properties was £150,000.   It quoted a source as saying: "You would think it would have been hard to sell it, but the buyers were obviously not concerned about its past."   The four-year-old was kidnapped 47 days ago.   Mr McCann has spoken with police about claims that friends and family destroyed vital evidence by searching the flat.   Local police chief Olegario Sousa said that more than 20 people went inside the flat in the hours after Madeleine was snatched.

20 June 2007

Gerry's blog, 20 June 2007 - Day 48

Another busy day of meetings this time in Leicester. No mishaps thankfully.The main meeting was that of Maddeleines fund where we discussed implementing a strategy to maintain our campaign to find Madeleine. It was agreed in principle to appoint a family spokesperson who will act, not just for Kate and I, but also on behalf of the extended family who have been liasing with the media. This appointment will take a lot of strain off family members who have been putting in such massive efforts to help find Madeleine. We are delighted with the response to the 50th day balloon launch which will truly be a global event. There will be a few variations to the release of balloons however. In Ventura, Southern California, 50 white doves will be released and in Afghanistan kite racing, an activity banned under the Taliban, will be the order of the day. Arrived back in Praia da Luz this evening and it was great to see Kate and the Kids, even though I was only away for a day and a half.

Kate's diary, 20 June 2007 - Day 48

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20: There is still no sign of Madeleine. I didn't feel like it so I decided not to go running. Went to pick up Gerry from the airport. It was so good to see him. Just before we reached the apartment we saw a man lying in the middle of the street, so we stopped the car and got out. It was no surprise to see that he was drunk (we've all been there!) but he recognised Gerry and me immediately. Gerry walked him round to his apartment.

Madeleine's father has wallet stolen in London, 20 June 2007

Madeleine's father has wallet stolen in London Timesonline   Times Online June 20, 2007   The father of Madeleine McCann, the child abducted in Portugal 48 days ago, has had his wallet stolen when he flew to Britain yesterday for only his second visit since his daughter went missing.   Gerry McCann was in London for a series of meetings examining how to prolong the campaign to find his daughter into the months ahead, but it was an unexpectedly eventful trip. As he recounted in his blog, the 49-year-old doctor from Rothley, in Leicestershire, first helped a man taken ill on the flight from Portugal, before someone took his wallet, which is believed to contain pictures of Madeleine.   "Flew in to London to for a series of meetings," wrote Mr McCann, a cardiologist. "Helped a passenger on the flight who collapsed. He was ill enough to require a full assessment on arrival and went off to hospital in an ambulance.   "Unfortunately shortly after arriving in London I had my wallet stolen which meant I was running late. I did manage to get to all my meetings which ran late into the evening."   Mr McCann, who works at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, is scheduled to return to his job at the end of the month when his compassionate leave finishes, but he has said that he does not yet think he is in the right frame of mind to treat people. His wife, Kate, a part-time GP, has sworn not to return to England until Madeleine is found.   The couple's four-year-old daughter disappeared from the family hotel room at a resort in Praia da Luz in the Algarve on May 3.   Since then, one of the largest police investigations in Portuguese history has failed to turn up any definitive information about her abduction. One British man, Robert Murat, has been declared an official suspect in the case but no lead, including a letter last week that claimed to know where Madeleine had been buried, has produced a breakthrough.   In his blog entry, Mr McCann said that as the summer wore on, he and his family were considering new ways to sustain the search for his daughter into the future. Buoyed by extraordinary support and financial donations from the public, the couple are interviewing candidates before appointing a full-time campaign manager to keep the case alive.   "The role for Kate and I in the campaign will not be nearly be so public," wrote Mr McCann. "We have to balance any campaigning in the search for Madeleine with protecting Sean and Amelie and making sure their privacy is protected."   The McCann's have orchestrated the release of 50 green and yellow balloons in 50 countries on Friday to mark the 50th day since Madeleine's disappearance.

21 June 2007

Madeleine dad saves man's life, then thief strikes, 21 June 2007

Madeleine dad saves man's life, then thief strikes Irish Independent   By David Brown Thursday June 21 2007   THE father of Madeleine McCann helped to save the life of a fellow passenger who had collapsed on his flight to London - then had his wallet stolen shortly after landing.   Gerry McCann, a consultant cardiologist, was on an early-morning flight from Faro in Portugal when the crew appealed for anyone with medical training to help a man who had become ill.   Mr McCann (39), of Rothley, Leicestershire, England, helped to stabilise the passenger before he was taken to hospital after landing in England.   Following his arrival in London, he had his wallet stolen after taking money from a cash machine near the Foreign Office in Whitehall.   Irreplaceable   The wallet also contained irreplaceable photographs of Madeleine (4) who was taken from Praia da Luz in the Algarve 48 days ago.   He was beginning a 24-hour trip to Britain.   Although Mr McCann and his wife Kate, a locum GP, have flown many times before, it is the first time that either of them has had to go to someone's aid in the air as a doctor.   Mr McCann recalled the drama in his blog on the 'Find Madeleine' website: "Helped a passenger on the flight who collapsed. He was ill enough to require a full assessment on arrival and went off to hospital in an ambulance."   He added: "Unfortunately, shortly after arriving in London I had my wallet stolen which meant I was running late."   Mr McCann said that he managed to get to all his meetings, which involved interviewing candidates for the role of campaign manager, designed to keep Madeleine's profile high.   But he said it was finally time for the attention to be turned away from him and his wife, in order to allow them to look after their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie.   Protecting   "The role for Kate and I in the campaign will not be nearly be so public," he said in his blog.   Tomorrow, however, the McCanns will go before the cameras again as they mark 50 days since Madeleine disappeared with the simultaneous release of 50 green and yellow balloons in around 50 countries.   Meanwhile, Portuguese detectives are investigating claims from a holidaymaker that a girl resembling Madeleine was seen three weeks ago in the back of a horse-drawn cart close to where she was abducted.   Andre van Wyck (66), a retired pilot, said a woman in the cart quickly covered the sleeping child's face with a shawl.   He had been so suspicious, he said, that he trailed the cart to a gypsy camp near the town of Portimao, about ten miles from where Madeleine disappeared.

Pickpocket snatches father's photos of missing Madeleine, 21 June 2007

Pickpocket snatches father's photos of missing Madeleine Timesonline   David Brown June 21, 2007   Madeleine McCann's family called last night for the return of precious photographs of the missing child that were stolen from her father, Gerry, by a pickpocket.   Mr McCann's wallet was snatched at a cash machine during a 24-hour trip to Britain. Madeleine's grandmother, Susan Healey, said that irreplaceable pictures of the missing four-year-old, who was abducted in Portugal 49 days ago, were in the wallet.   "There can't be many people who don't recognise Kate and Gerry now — shame on the thieves for doing it," she said. "Hopefully, when they see the photos of Madeleine in the wallet, they will recognise what they have done. In the context of losing Madeleine, a stolen wallet means nothing. But it is just another problem Gerry can do without."   One picture reportedly showed Madeleine aged 15 months, while another was taken recently at a church.   The theft came shortly after Mr McCann helped to treat a fellow passenger who had collapsed on his flight to London, where he was interviewing people for the job of co-ordinating the campaign to find his daughter.   Mr McCann, a consultant cardiologist, was on an early flight from Faro in Portugal when the crew appealed for anyone with medical training to help a man who had become ill. Mr McCann, 39, of Rothley, Leicestershire, helped to stabilise the passenger before he was taken to hospital after landing in England.   A short time later, Mr McCann's wallet was stolen after he took money from a cash machine near the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall.   Although Mr McCann and his wife, Kate, a locum GP, have flown many times before, it is the first time that either has had to go to someone’s aid in the air as a doctor.   Mr McCann recalled the episode in his blog on the Find Madeleine website: "Helped a passenger on the flight who collapsed. He was ill enough to require a full assessment on arrival and went off to hospital in an ambulance."   Mr McCann had previously spoken about not feeling ready to go back to work since his daughter was taken from Praia da Luz on the Algarve. He is on compassionate leave from Glenfield General Hospital in Leicester until the end of the month. He has said he does not know what will happen after that.   Mr McCann also wrote on his blog about the wallet theft, on his second trip to Britain since his daughter's abduction. He wrote: "Unfortunately, shortly after arriving in London I had my wallet stolen, which meant I was running late." Mr McCann said that he managed to get to all his meetings, which involved interviewing candidates for the role of campaign manager, designed to keep Madeleine's profile high.   But he said that it was finally time for the attention to be turned away from him and his wife, to allow them to look after their two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie. "The role for Kate and I in the campaign will not be nearly be so public," he said. "We have to balance any campaigning in the search for Madeleine with protecting Sean and Amelie."   But tomorrow they will appear before the cameras as they mark 50 days since Madeleine disappeared with the simultaneous release of 50 balloons in 50 countries. There are expected to be ten centres in Britain, while Germany, France, Australia, Canada, America and El Salvador are among other countries expected to take part.   The McCanns intend to stay in Portugal at least until the end of the summer. Portuguese detectives are investigating claims from a holidaymaker that a girl resembling Madeleine was seen three weeks ago in the back of a horse-drawn cart close to where she was abducted.   Andre van Wyk, 66, said that a woman in the cart covered the sleeping child's face with a shawl. He was so suspicious that he followed the cart to a gypsy camp near Portimão, about ten miles from where Madeleine disappeared.

Madeleine's father loses her pics, 21 June 2007

Madeleine's father loses her pics The Times of India (Evening Standard report, to which this refers, appears to have been removed from the internet)   21 June 2007, 0021 hrs   LONDON: Cherished photographs of a 4-year-old British girl who vanished from a hotel room in Portugal's Algarve region were snatched by a pickpocket in London, a British newspaper reported on Wednesday. Gerry McCann, father of Madeleine McCann, who went missing from the resort town of Praia da Luz on May 3, had his wallet stolen during a brief visit to the British capital Tuesday, London's Evening Standard said. McCann's wallet was stolen close to Tony Blair's Downing Street office after he arrived in London to interview candidates to head a campaign aimed at finding his daughter, the newspaper reported. "It contained precious photographs which have now been lost forever," the newspaper quoted McCann's mother-in-law Susan Healey. London police said they had no record of the theft being reported to officers. Clarence Mitchell, a spokesman for the family, said McCann had attended a meeting at London's foreign office on Tuesday, but could not immediately confirm details of the theft. Her parents have been criticised for leaving their children alone while they ate at a nearby restaurant despite the availability of a babysitting service and a creche. There has also been criticism of the parents in the Portuguese media. The Diário de Notícias insisted that the McCanns were suspects and claimed that on the night Madeleine disappeared they had not checked on her, contrary to what they told police.   The Daily Telegraph has reported, "Portugal has been stung by suggestions that the investigation has been handled ineptly."

'Irreplaceable' Maddy photos stolen from father, 21 June 2007

'Irreplaceable' Maddy photos stolen from father Telegraph   By Richard Edwards in Praia da Luz Last Updated: 2:05AM BST 21/06/2007   Gerry McCann had his wallet stolen during a brief trip to London, losing two "irreplaceable" photos of his missing daughter, it emerged today.   Mr McCann was returning to Britain for only the second time since Madeleine was abducted, 49 days ago, to attend a series of meetings about his global campaign to find the four-year-old.   Around an hour after landing at Gatwick Airport, on his way to the meetings in central London, his wallet was stolen from his backpocket at a cashpoint at Waterloo station.   Inside were two "treasured" photos he has kept on him throughout the ordeal and not released to the media.   One picture is said to show Madeleine at 15-months-old while the other was taken in church more recently.   Susan Healey, the mother of Mrs McCann, said it was "yet another kick in the teeth".   She added: "It contained precious photographs which have now been lost forever."   Philomena McCann, his sister, said that after all the goodwill directed towards Mr McCann and his family in Portugal, the theft in London was a "demoralising" sign of the times.   She explained that Mr McCann, who is due to return to Portugal tonight, had taken £100 out of an ATM and had the wallet snatched from his back pocket.   The 48-year-old teacher from Glasgow said: "There were two pictures, special ones that Gerry always kept with him, showing Madeleine and the wens. They were his favourites, really treasured pictures. They are irreplaceable.   "He bent down to put something in his rucksack and some dirty animal had the wallet out of his back pocket.   "We don't care about the money, but we do care about getting the pictures back."   She added: "How can you do that to someone who's been through what he has? He's already demoralised enough and to be put on the back foot like this, you can't believe some people can stoop so low.   "The whole family have been overwhelmed by the support and affection from all around the world, but it takes just one rotten article to bring you down. How can you be so selfish?   "I hope whoever took the wallet is so ashamed when they realise what they've just done that they get those pictures back to us as soon as possible.   "He's desperate to get them back because they're precious to him.   "They can contact any member of the family, or go through the website, hand it in to a police station, anything. We just want them back as soon as possible."   In an eventful trip, it emerged that Mr McCann, a cardiologist, had also come to the assistance of a stricken passenger during the inward EasyJet flight from Faro to Gatwick Airport yesterday morning.   He wrote on his blog on the official findmadeleine.com website: "I flew in to London to for a series of meetings. Helped a passenger on the flight who collapsed.   "He was ill enough to require a full assessment on arrival and went off to hospital in an ambulance."   Philomena said: "He told me he'd been called into action on the flight over but he didn't give me any details.   "In a situation like that, you just go into your natural modus operandi and help.   "It's what you're trained to do, it's who you are. He didn't make a big deal out of it because it's the kind of thing that he does all the time at work."   Mr McCann left behind his wife Kate and their twins, Sean and Amelie, to make the trip in which he attended a series of meetings about the Madeleine campaign and interviewed candidates for the role of campaign manager.   Writing in his blog, he said: "The role for Kate and I in the campaign will not be nearly be so public. We have to balance any campaigning in the search for Madeleine with protecting Sean and Amelie and making sure their privacy is protected."   Mr McCann is still working to a punishing schedule behind the scenes, organising events, writing the daily blog and reading through hundreds of letters still being sent to the family in Praia da Luz every week.   A main event is planned for Friday, to mark the 50th day since Madeleine has been missing. The family have organised for 50 green and yellow balloons to be released in more than 50 countries.   A spokesperson for EasyJet said Mr McCann saw an elderly gentleman faint midway through the flight and went to his assistance.   She said: "Mr McCann saw it happen and volunteered to help. He gave the cabin crew advice on what to do and helped them administer oxygen. We would like to pass on our thanks to Mr McCann for his help."

Maddy's dad robbed of 'memories', 21 June 2007

Maddy's dad robbed of 'memories' Daily Express (article no longer available online)   TORMENT: Relatives are angry at the insult to Gerry and Kate McCann whose photos have been stolen   By Padraic Flanagan in Praia da Luz Thursday June 21, 2007   THE father of Madeleine McCann revealed yesterday how a sneak thief has stolen irreplaceable photographs of his kidnapped daughter.   The pickpocket stole Gerry McCann's wallet minutes after he arrived in London to boost the search for Madeleine.   It contained two treasured pictures of the missing four-year-old, who was snatched 49 days ago as she slept at the family's holiday apartment in Praia da Luz on Portugal's Algarve.   They include one showing Madeleine aged 15-months, while another was taken in church more recently.   Relatives expressed anger at this new outrage against Gerry and Kate McCann, who have endured unimaginable torment in their long wait for news of their daughter.   Madeleine's aunt Philomena McCann, 48, a teacher, said Mr McCann was distraught at the loss of his favourite pictures, which were so precious he always kept them with him.   She said the family was hoping the "dirty animal" who stole the wallet was shamed into handing them back. "How can you do that to someone who’s been through what he has?" she said yesterday.   "He's already demoralised enough and to be put on the back foot like this, you can't believe some people can stoop so low. It was some dirty animal."   The thief struck soon after Gerry, 39, arrived in the UK on Tuesday for a meeting with lawyers, after he withdrew money from a cash machine at London's Waterloo. The pickpocket snatched the black leather wallet containing £100 from his back pocket.   "We don't care about the money, but we do care about getting the pictures of Madeleine back," said Philomena McCann. "They were his favourites – really treasured pictures. They are irreplaceable."   She urged the thief to consider his conscience, adding: "They can contact any member of the family, or go through the campaign website, hand the wallet into a police station, anything.   "Gerry's desperate to get them back, he's not bothered about the money, he'd just like whoever stole them to hand them back because they're precious to him."   She added: "The whole family have been overwhelmed by the support and affection from all around the world, but it takes just one rotten article to bring you down. How can you be so selfish?"   She said the theft meant Gerry had to delay a round of meetings to assess candidates to head the Madeleine campaign while he reported the incident to police and cancelled his bank cards.   Madeleine's grandmother Susan Healey, Kate McCann's mother, described the theft as "yet another kick in the teeth".   "Hopefully when they see the photos of Madeleine in the wallet they will realise what they've done," she said. Before he landed in London, Mr McCann, a heart specialist, was involved in a mid-air drama when a passenger on his flight from Portugal to Gatwick collapsed. Mr McCann managed to stabilise the man, who is in his 80s, until the easyJet flight landed shortly before midday and he could be moved to hospital.   An easyJet spokeswoman said: "The crew were full of praise for Gerry and grateful for his expert help. We want to thank him for the support he gave." Mr McCann was modest about his role in the drama. He said: "I flew in to London for a series of meetings and had to help a passenger on the flight who collapsed."   He said he hoped attention would be turned away from him and Kate so that they could look after their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie. "The role for Kate and I in the campaign will not be nearly so public," he said.   However, tomorrow they will go before the cameras in Praia da Luz to mark the 50th day since Madel­eine disappeared. At the same time, 50 green and yellow balloons will be released in 50 countries.

Madeleine's father robbed of daughter's photos during UK trip, 21 June 2007

Madeleine's father robbed of daughter's photos during UK trip Daily Mail (article no longer available online)   • Family say it's another 'kick in the teeth' for Madeleine's parents   21 June 2007   Madeleine McCann's father was left distraught after a thief stole his wallet that contained precious photographs of his missing daughter.   The pickpocket struck as Gerry McCann withdrew cash from an ATM, just an hour after he arrived in London for a brief visit to organise the campaign to help find the four-year-old.   The wallet contained his three favourite pictures of Madeleine with her twin brother and sister, which his family say have never been publicly released and which he has no copies of. Flying visit: Mr McCann, 39, was pickpocketed at a cashpoint at Waterloo station in central London Susan Healey, mother of his wife Kate, said it was "yet another kick in the teeth".   She added: "Gerry is not clear exactly how his wallet was stolen.   "He did not see them take it. It contained precious photographs which have now been lost forever."   Mr McCann's sister, Philomena McCann, branded the thief a "dirty animal".   She said: "Gerry was at the bank to get some British currency, because he didn't have any at all.   "He took out £100 from a hole in the wall machine, put it in his wallet then popped it in his back pocket.   "He bent down to put something in his rucksack and some dirty animal had the wallet out of his back pocket.   "We don't care about the money, but we do care about getting the pictures of Madeleine back.   "There were three pictures, special ones that Gerry always kept with him, showing Madeleine and the twins.   "They were his favourites, really treasured pictures. How can you do that to someone who's been through what he has?   "He's already demoralised enough and to be put on the back foot like this, you can't believe some people can stoop so low.   "He's desperate to get them back. He's not bothered about the money. He'd just like whoever stole them to hand them back because they're precious to him.   "The whole family have been overwhelmed by the support and affection from all around the world, but it takes just one rotten apple to bring you down.   "I hope whoever took the wallet is so ashamed when they realise what they've done that they get those pictures back to us as soon as possible."   Mr McCann, 39, was pickpocketed at a cashpoint at Waterloo station in central London after arriving in the capital on Tuesday for a two day visit to interview candidates for a campaign manager to help keep Madeleine's profile high.   He was forced to delay the series of meetings he had planned while he cancelled his credit cards.   Mr McCann, a consultant cardiologist, had earlier come to the rescue of a fellow passenger who collapsed during his easyJet flight from Portugal to Britain. The man, who has not been named, needed a full medical assessment on arrival in Gatwick and was taken by ambulance to hospital.   But his sister said Mr McCann had been typically modest about the help he provided.   She said: "Gerry spends his life looking after other people so in a situation like that, you just go into your natural modus operandi and help.   "It's what you're trained to do, it's who you are. He didn't make a big deal out of it because it's the kind of thing that he does all the time at work."   The trip to London was only the second time Mr McCann has returned to the UK since Madeleine was kidnapped.   He arrived back in Portugal to be reunited with his wife, Kate, and the couple's two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie, who had stayed in Praia da Luz, the resort town where Madeleine disappeared 49 days ago.   Meanwhile, the holiday apartment where Madeleine McCann was abducted has been sold for less than half the market rate.   The two-bedroom flat has been purchased by an unnamed English couple for just £74,000, despite the going rate for similar properties being £150,000.   According to the Sun newspaper, estate agents are denying that the sale price of the Ocean Club apartment in Pria da Luz, Portugal, was halved due to Madeleine’s disappearance 47 days ago.   An insider told the paper: "It was quite a surprise that it went on the market for such a low price and sold so quickly. You would think it would have been hard to sell but the buyers were obviously not bothered about its past."   Madeleine's parents are also set to make an appeal on Irish television asking tourists to forward their holiday snapshots to British investigators in a bid to find their daughter.   Kate and Gerry McCann were planning to appear on RTE television to urge anyone with photos from holidays in Portugal in early May to come forward to help in their search for Madeleine, who disappeared from the Algarve holiday apartment she was sharing with her parents and two younger siblings around six weeks ago. The Ocean Club apartments in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was snatched 'They wanted to appeal to any Irish person who may have been in the Praia Da Luz area around May 3 and ask them specifically to look at their digital photographs, to look at the backgrounds and look at the photos,' a spokeswoman for RTE said.   Irish tourists who visited the area in question should upload their photos to Britain's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre website - www.ceopupload.com.   Speaking on the RTE Crimecall programme to be screened on Tuesday, the McCanns said they were overwhelmed with the support received from the Irish.   'There has been so much support from Ireland. We're overwhelmed. We'd reckon half the letters we have are from the Irish,' Mrs McCann said.   And pupils at the school missing Madeleine McCann is due to attend spelled out their own appeal to find the little girl today.   Youngsters at Bishop Ellis Catholic Primary School in Thurmaston, Leicestershire, lined up in their playground to spell the words "Find Madeleine". The plea, best seen from the air, was captured by a photographer from a helicopter. Head teacher Gail Neill said the school wanted to do its bit to keep Madeleine's disappearance in the public mind.   She said: "The message from our school is simple - help find Madeleine.   "She is out there somewhere. We urge people to be vigilant and keep on looking out. Now we are coming up to the holiday season - take posters with you, put one in your car, pin them up in service stations, give them out at airports, ask people to look out.   "We continue to pray daily for Madeleine and her family." And she stressed: "Madeleine is due to join our school in September."   *    Note: The photograph that accompanies this article shows Gerry McCann leaving Praia da Luz on his first return trip to the UK, in May.

Maddie photos stolen from dad, 21 June 2007

Maddie photos stolen from dad The Sun   By CHARLES RAE and JULIE MOULT in Praia da Luz Published: 21 Jun 2007   MADELEINE McCann's dad was distraught yesterday after a vile pickpocket stole his wallet - containing precious photos of the missing four-year-old.   Heart consultant Gerry McCann, 39, was using a cashpoint at a London rail station when the thief struck.   The three "irreplaceable" snaps were the only copies. Maddie's furious aunt branded the culprit an "animal".   One showed four-year-old Maddie - who was snatched 49 days ago in Portugal - aged just 15 months.   Another was taken recently at a church. Gerry's sister Philomena, 48, said: "We don't care about the money - only getting the pictures of Madeleine back. They were Gerry's treasured pictures - and are irreplaceable."   No other copies of the snaps exist. Gerry, 39, was using a cashpoint while on a flying visit back to Britain when the rat struck at London's Waterloo station.   Teacher Philomena, who lives in Glasgow, said her brother was "desperate" to get the snaps back.   She said: "He bent down to put something in his rucksack and some dirty animal had the wallet out of his back pocket.   "Gerry just wants whoever stole them to hand them back. How can you do that to someone who has been through what he has? You can't believe some people can stoop so low."   The thief struck on Tuesday hours after Gerry, of Rothley, Leics, jetted into Gatwick for a series of meetings to keep the spotlight on Maddie's abduction.   His GP wife Kate, 38, has remained with their two-year-old twins in the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz - where Maddie was snatched from a holiday flat.

29 June 2007

Gerry's blog, 29 June 2007 - Day 57

Early rise this morning dropping off and picking up good friends from the airport. One of our friends from Amsterdam, who has been actively campaigning to publicise Madeleines disappearance, dropped in to see us for a couple of hours since he is on a golfing trip in the Algarve. Our friends brought back my wallet which had been returned, needless to say minus the Sterling, although all my cards and €30 were still in it! It is good to have my driving license back and one or two other important things.

02 July 2007

Stolen Madeleine photos returned to father, 02 July 2007

Stolen Madeleine photos returned to father Telegraph   Precious photos of missing Madeleine McCann have been anonymously returned to her family almost two weeks after they were stolen from her father on a trip to London.   By Fiona Govan in Sotogrande Last Updated: 1:41AM BST 02 Jul 2007   Gerry McCann, 39, was said to be delighted today at having two "irreplaceable" pictures of his abducted daughter back in his possession.   One picture is said to show Madeleine at 15 months old, while another was taken in church shortly before her disappearance on May 3.   The family had issued an appeal for their return after Mr McCann's wallet was taken by a pickpocket in Waterloo station hours after he arrived in the capital for a series of meetings about his global campaign to find his daughter.   At the time his sister described the theft as a "demoralising" sign of the times and urged the thief to do the right thing.   "I hope whoever took the wallet is so ashamed when they realise what they've just done that they get those pictures back to us as soon as possible," said Philomena McCann.   Following the appeal the wallet was posted to the McCanns' former house in Queniborough, Leicestershire, the address which was inside.   It was forwarded to their current home in nearby Rothley and then brought out to the couple in Praia da Luz, Portugal, by friends visiting at the weekend.   A postmark suggested it was sent from London on June 22, the day of the theft. Apart from a sum of sterling, everything else in the wallet - including Euros and his driving licence - was returned.   Brian Kennedy, Madeleine's great uncle, said Mr McCann was "pleased" the pictures had been recovered.   "Either someone with a conscience has realised who they had stolen it from and decided to return it, or it was discarded by the thief and sent to us by someone who found it," he said.   "I have spoken to Gerry and he is pleased. As far as I can tell, all the pictures that were in there of Madeleine are still there. It's a bit of good news, which we haven't had for some time."   In his daily blog on the official findmadeleine.com website Mr McCann wrote: "Our friends brought back my wallet which had been returned, needless to say minus the sterling, although all my cards and 30 euros were still in it!   "It is good to have my driving license back and one or two other important things," he wrote, referring to the photographs of his daughter who has now been missing for 60 days.   He also described the family's preparations to move out of the apartment complex where Madeleine was taken from her bed and find a more permanent base in the resort.   "We have confirmed our new accommodation and will be moving in the next few days," he wrote over the weekend, which was spent packing belongings into boxes.   "We seem to have acquired a lot more stuff, particularly the twins with lots of well wishers sending them toys."   The move represents a new stage for the McCann family following the abduction of their daughter almost two months ago. They have expressed a desire to step out of the media spotlight and provide a more stable environment for their two-year-old twins Sean and Amelie.   The couple reiterated their vow to stay in Portugal to be close to the police investigation and said they will not consider returning home to England without their daughter.   "We will be staying on Portugal for the immediate future and are determined to come home with Madeleine," said Mr McCann in his blog.   "Staying in the Algarve also makes it easier to stay in touch with the Portuguese police, this is particularly important with the investigation being so active. We have regular meetings and calls to keep abreast of developments," he said.   Portuguese police admitted on Friday they were no closer to finding Madeleine but had not ruled out links of her abduction with a couple accused of attempting to extort the £2.4 million reward money offered.

Photos of Madeleine stolen with her father's wallet are returned, 02 July 2007

Photos of Madeleine stolen with her father's wallet are returned Daily Mail   Last updated at 13:34 02 July 2007   Treasured photos of Madeleine McCann stolen from her father have been returned.   Gerry McCann, 39, was distraught when a thief took his wallet from his back pocket during a brief trip to London a fortnight ago.   As well as cash and cards, it contained his three favourite pictures of four-year-old Madeleine. They have never been seen in public and there are no copies.   But after Mr McCann and his wife Kate made an emotional appeal for its return, the wallet and photos were sent anonymously to their home in Rothley, Leicestershire.   Yesterday a friend returned them to a "delighted" Mr McCann in Portugal at the Algarve resort of Praia da Luz, where Madeleine was snatched from her bed on May 3.   Brian Kennedy, Madeleine's great uncle, said: "Either someone with a conscience has realised who they stole it from, or it was discarded by the thief and sent to us by someone who found it.   "It's a bit of good news, which we haven't had for some time."   Today the McCanns moved out of the Portuguese holiday resort from where their daughter was abducted - 60 days after she disappeared.   The family have set up home in a private property nearby.   They stayed at the Mark Warner Ocean Club resort in the Algarve town of Praia da Luz for nearly two months, but the start of high season meant they had to find somewhere else to live.   The family had based themselves in one apartment and used a second as an office, from which to run the campaign to find their four-year-old daughter.   A spokeswoman for the family said they were taking thousands of letters and cards of support with them to the new house.   An endless stream of messages have been sent to the couple as they wait for any breakthrough in the hunt for their daughter.   The McCanns now meet the Portuguese Policia Judiciaria (PJ) on a regular basis, but despite an extensive investigation there have been no significant developments in the case.   Leaving the holiday complex today is the first sign that life is starting to move on.   "Obviously, like any family, packing up and moving is a very difficult time," their spokeswoman said.   "The amazing thing has been moving all the letters of support, there have just been thousands of them.   "Every single one has been boxed up and moved with them. It has been so uplifting for Kate and Gerry to know that so many people have prayed for them, are supporting them and hoping Madeleine comes home safely."   Mr McCann's pickpocketed wallet was initially sent to the family's former address, which was listed in the wallet, before being forwarded to their new home. There was no note inside and £100 in cash was missing.   However documents contained in the wallet, including Mr McCann's credit cards and driving licence, and 30 euros were returned.   Mr McCann was pickpocketed at a cash machine at Waterloo station in Central London on June 20. He had arrived in the capital on a two-day visit to interview candidates to be Madeleine campaign manager.   Meanwhile, a Portuguese woman accused of trying to extort the £2.5 million reward money for Madeleine by offering information about her whereabouts was freed from court in Spain last night.   Aurora Vaz, 54, and her millionaire Italian boyfriend Danilo Chemello, 61, were arrested at their luxury villa in Sotogrande, near Gibraltar, last week.   Chemello was remanded in custody following the closed hearing at San Roque. A decision on any charges will be taken later.

Maddie dad gets stolen pics, 02 July 2007

Maddie dad gets stolen pics The Sun (article no longer available online)   02 July 2007   TREASURED photos of missing Madeleine McCann stolen from her father by a pickpocket have been returned.   The two snaps of Maddie, four, were in Gerry McCann's wallet, taken on June 22 in London.   Cardiac consultant Gerry, 39, was devastated and feared he would never see them again. But yesterday it emerged the black leather wallet had been posted to his old address, which was written inside.   The thief had taken £100 he had just withdrawn from a cashpoint at Waterloo Station but his credit cards, some euros and the pictures were still there.   Brian Kennedy, Madeleine's great uncle, said: "Either someone with a conscience realised who they had stolen it from and decided to return it, or it was discarded by the thief and returned by someone who found it.   "There were sufficient stamps to make sure it got to us. Gerry is pleased. All the pictures of Madeleine are still there. It's a bit of good news — which we haven't had in a long time."

Missing girl's dad gets stolen pics back, 02 July 2007

Missing girl's dad gets stolen pics back IOL   July 02 2007 at 02:15PM   London - The father of Madeleine McCann, the British girl who vanished in Portugal, has had a wallet containing cherished pictures of his daughter returned after it was stolen in London, reports said on Monday.   Gerry McCann appealed for the return of the wallet - with two pictures of the four-year-old who disappeared from an appartment in the Algarve in May - after it was stolen by a pickpocket during a trip to London on June 22.   The Sun newspaper reported that it has now been sent by post to his old address in Britain, which was scrawled on a piece of paper inside the wallet.   "Gerry is pleased. All the pictures of Madeleine are still there. It's a good bit of news - which we haven't had in a long time," Brian Kennedy, Madeleine's great-uncle, told the newspaper.   Madeleine vanished on May 3 from the hotel room where she and her two-year-old twin siblings were sleeping in the southern resort town of Praia da Luz while her parents were dining at a nearby restaurant.   The McCanns have launched an international campaign to find their daughter which has drawn the support of celebrities including soccer star David Beckham and Harry Potter author JK Rowling.

Justine McGuinness reveals she was brought to Portugal to try and change the Portuguese privacy law:

McCanns' ex-spokeswoman addresses conference, 18 September 2007

McCanns' ex-spokeswoman addresses conference Timesonline   Posted by Sam Coates on September 18, 2007 at 12:31 PM   Justine McGuinness, who spent 89 days as the spokesman for the McCann family in Portugal, is fast becoming one of the key attractions in Brighton. Unsurprisingly, she has been besieged by activists and journalists wanting to know more about here time working for the McCanns.   So the public affairs guru must have known that when she stood up in the conference hall during the immigration debate to call for tougher border controls "to prevent children being moved out of Europe", people would inevitably draw a link with her former role. "Do it for our children", she cried, to a bemused audience.   Officially she tells those who enquire that she is not talking about the case. But in the bars, late and night, a few details have emerged. She has dropped several hints that she did not enjoy the closest relations with Gerry McCann, and also also that she was never intended to have an onscreen role as spokeswoman.   Ms McGuinness, who is looking for a safe Lib Dem seat, says she was brought to Portugal to try and change the privacy law which the McCanns believed was hampering the search for their daughter. She says she tried to handle the media "like a general election campaign" with open regular media briefings, but this upset some media outlets that wanted to get a scoop on their rivals.

The McCanns attended a christening at end of March 2007:

Missing Madeleine's mum: Please pray for her return, 06 May 2007

Missing Madeleine's mum: Please pray for her return Liverpool Daily Post   May 6 2007   THE Liverpool-born mother of the three year old snatched from a holiday apartment in Portugal has urged people to 'pray for my daughter's safe return.'   Kate McCann and her husband Gerry have made repeated appeals for information to help police track down Madeleine McCann who was snatched last Thursday evening.   Mrs McCann, originally from Allerton and a former pupil of Notre Dame High School in Everton, said: "Gerry and I would just like to express our sincere gratitude and thanks to everybody, but particularly the local community here, who have offered so much support.   "We couldn't have asked for more. I just wanted to say thank you. Please continue to pray for Madeleine."   Her Glasgow-born husband again appealed for any information "however small" that may lead to the safe return of their daughter.   Portuguese police said they believed Madeleine had been snatched, adding they have a suspect in mind and believe the toddler is still alive and in the area.   She vanished from a holiday apartment within the Mark Warner's Ocean Club in the Algarve resort of Praia de Luz while her parents were at a nearby restaurant.   Relatives have flown to the Algarve to be with the couple, now living in Leicestershire, who were holidaying with their three children.   Shortly before he and his wife Susan left to be with their family, Madeleine's ashen-face grandfather, Brian Healy, spoke on the doorstep of his Mossley Hill home to tell how they were "worried sick", and added: "It's a very distressing time."   Mrs McCann, now a GP, left Liverpool to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor and that eventually led her to meet husband Gerry, a consultant cardiologist.   Although the pair moved round the country they were regular visitors back to Merseyside, especially after the birth of Madeleine, their eldest child.   Their holiday to the Algarve was taken with eight other families, all from Leicester's medical circles, and the party were eating at a tapas restaurant 200 yards away from the room in which Madeleine and her brother and sister slept.   The McCanns made sure the toddler, who turns four on Friday, and her two-year-old twin brother and sister, Sean and Amelie, were sound asleep, and that their apartment was locked up.   But between their checks at 9.30pm and 10pm the apartment was broken into through a window and Madeleine was taken, according to the young girl’s aunt, Trish Cameron.   In an earlier appeal on Saturday, Mr McCann said: "We have no further information regarding the investigation but appreciate the significant effort everyone is making on our behalf.   "We would again like to appeal for any information, however small, that may lead to the safe return of Madeleine."   Guilhermino Encarnacao, director of the judicial police in the Faro region, made clear police are considering the possibility that she was abducted for sexual abuse.   But amid speculation that police may be hunting a known paedophile, Mr Encarnacao refused to give details of the suspect. He would not even reveal whether the person is male or female, or Portuguese, British or any other nationality.   It was not clear whether this means that police are looking for a specific, named individual, or simply someone fitting a description.   Experts have put together a sketch of a suspect for police, but the image has not been released to the public for fear of endangering the youngster's life.   Mr Encarnacao confirmed that among lines of inquiry police are investigating is a report that a young girl was spotted walking along a road with two people.   Local expats said there had been a report of a couple spotted walking along a road outside the town early yesterday morning with a child.   But he said calls had flooded in from all over Portugal with possible sightings.   The news that police think Madeleine may be alive brought comfort to her parents, who were said to be on an emotional rollercoaster.   Jon Corner, founder of Liverpool-based River Media, is godfather to the McCann's twins and his wife has known Mrs McCann since they were both three.   The co-founder of city centre-based River Media, and a father-of-three himself, said: "Kate phoned me in the early hours totally devastated.   "She just told me that Maddy had been abducted, that the shutters of the apartment had been forced and someone had taken her.   "Maddy was asleep in the room with Sean and Amelie and whoever has taken her has gone straight past the sleeping twins, left them completely alone and snatched Maddy.   "Kate is just so distressed. She doesn't know what to do.   "It has knocked me and everyone else for six. It doesn't actually seem real."   Mr Corner said he saw the couple when they brought the family up to Merseyside for the christening of his last child at the end of March.   Madeleine, who turns four on Friday, was last seen by her father at about 2100 local time on Thursday.   When Mrs McCann went to check on her about an hour later, she found the bedroom's outside shutter and window had been opened and her daughter missing.   Pictures of Madeleine have been widely distributed, and ports and the Spanish police put on alert.