The relentless search for items linked to Madeleine McCann's disappearance on Portuguese soil continues.
Recent information suggests a witness who was acquainted with the main suspect in this globally shocking case has come forward with a crucial detail that could aid in solving the mystery.
Solving the mystery of Madeleine McCann's disappearance
Christian Brueckner, a 45-year-old German prisoner, allegedly boasted to his friend about using a burglary tool kit to gain access to apartment 5A in the Praia de Luz resort complex in Portugal—the very same unit where McCann and her parents were staying when she disappeared in 2007. The prevailing theory among investigators is that the abductor entered through the window.
However, German police are now scrutinizing this evidence, as well as the claims that Brueckner utilized a car cleaning chemical to drug the four-year-old.
The friend of the kidnapping suspect, identified only as Helge B. and currently under witness protection, revealed that he had met Brueckner three years before Madeleine McCann went missing. The 52-year-old witness recounted finding the burglary toolkit at Brueckner's residence. Brueckner, who is currently serving a prison sentence for drug and rape offenses, allegedly disclosed to Helge B. that he used these tools to break into resorts and holiday apartments to steal from tourists.
In an interview with The Sun, Helge B. stated, "There were passports on the table. There was all sorts of stuff lying around — cameras, suitcases, everything that tourists have with them. I also found a lock pick set." Helge B. kept the kit and informed the German police, emphasizing, "You can use it to pick any lock, including security locks."
The bundle consists of 14 black stainless steel keys, each specifically designed for a particular lock type. While the police maintain that the suspect gained entry through the window, Helge B. asserts that Brueckner used the keys to enter through the door, claiming, "He can open any door." A police source revealed, "The German detectives were electrified by the discovery of the tool kit with the lock picks in it. This evidence is now very important to them."