Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SUSPECT’S FEMALE ACCOMPLICE
Woman ‘called Brueckner after spotting best hols flats for him to raid’
THE Madeleine Mccann prime suspect allegedly had a secret female accomplice during a string of Algarve burglaries. It is claimed she picked flats for Christian Brueckner to raid in 2007, the year the tot vanished. A Portuguese reporter said: “She called him to say a house was free.”
CHRISTIAN Brueckner and his female accomplice carried out a 100,000-euro raid at a home during their burglary campaign in the Algarve, it was claimed last night.
Portuguese broadcaster Sandra Felgueiras alleged the German rapist and prime suspect in Madeleine Mccann’s disappearance broke into holiday flats after his pal picked out the best ones.
The woman was named as his “partner in crime” during raids in 2007, the same year the British youngster vanished from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz at the age of three.
It comes as police continued to probe who spoke with paedophile Brueckner, 43, during a 30-minute phone call before the toddler was taken on May 3.
Felgueiras told how she had spoken to the victims of the 100,000-euro raid.
She said: “I have now confirmed it with the court files. I have evidence that Christian committed burglaries with her.
“It was always the same modus operandi. She called him saying the house was free. Then it got robbed.
“And I know she was investigated by police over it. It is an unbelievable story.”
The woman has been interviewed by police about Brueckner in her own country but was not believed to be a suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance.
It is claimed the family who had 100,000 euros stolen were living in Praia de Gale, a 45-minute drive from Praia da Luz.
Brueckner’s pal worked as a babysitter for the family between June 2007 and October 2007 looking after their grandchildren.
The money was said to have been kept in a suitcase at their home.
The family claim she was in the car looking after their granddaughter when they had tried to deposit the cash at the BES bank.
But they told Portuguese TV channel RTP they were unable to deposit it and took it home.
One of the victims said: “She somehow realised that it was not possible to make the deposit.”
The woman was quizzed by police over the theft after the family insisted she was the only person who knew they had the cash in the house.
The victims also claim they had heard her speak in German to a man, who they now believe was Brueckner. Neighbours insist they saw him lurking outside the home on the day of the burglary.
Brueckner’s best friend Michael Tatschl has claimed the pervert was a prolific burglar while he lived with him in Praia da Luz in 2005 and 2006.
The pair spent eight months in prison together, after being caught stealing petrol from cars in April 2006.
Tatschl claimed Brueckner had asked two friends to go into the house to remove any incriminating evidence.
This included a video recorder found to have a film of the German raping an elderly woman in Praia da Luz in 2006.
Brueckner, currently in a German jail on drug offences, was last month named as the prime suspect in Madeleine’s disappearance. Prosecutors in Germany said they have found evidence he received a 30-minute phone call before the youngster’s disappearance, which placed him in the Praia da Luz area.
It has been claimed Brueckner was carrying out a burglary when he found Madeleine asleep in her bed and snatched her as her parents Kate and Gerry ate out nearby with friends.
She called him saying the house was free. Then it got robbed
SANDRA FELGUEIRAS PORTUGUESE REPORTER dan.warburton@mirror.co.uk @Dailymirror