NZ report revives hunt for Madeline McCann

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/8141833/Report-revives-hunt-for-British-girl



BROOKE GARDINER IN QUEENSTOWN
Last updated 05:00 04/01/2013

Report revives hunt for British girl

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NOT GIVING UP: Kate and Gerry McCann with a computer-generated image of how their missing daughter Madeleine might look now.

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AT THREE: Photo of Madeleine McCann, aged three, before she disappeared in 2007.

Queenstown police have joined the hunt for missing British girl Madeleine McCann.

Detectives and police staff started investigating on New Year's Eve after a report of a possible sighting by a retailer who became suspicious of a man and a young fair-headed girl who bore a striking resemblance to Madeleine.

Senior Sergeant John Fookes, of Queenstown, confirmed police were alerted to the possible sighting late in the afternoon on New Year's Eve.

The 70 police officers patrolling the resort on New Year's Eve were told to keep an eye out for the man and little girl but they were not found, Mr Fookes said.

Detective Sergeant Brian Cameron said they had a couple of leads to follow, but were unable to act on one until yesterday because of public holidays.

There has been contact between the Metropolitan police in Britain and Queenstown police, he said.

The Southland Times was alerted to the sighting and investigation on New Year's Eve but delayed publishing the story until police had the opportunity to follow up on the lead in case publicity scuppered the investigation.

Three-year-old Madeleine went missing from the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007 while on holiday with her parents Kate and Gerry, and siblings Sean and Amelie.

The woman who reported the sighting told The Southland Times she immediately thought of Madeleine when the young blond-haired girl came into her store with a man on New Year's Eve.

"She had the same eye defect as Madeleine. Only a very small percentage of the population have that and I was just staring at it the whole time to the point I forgot what they had purchased.

"As soon as they left, I looked up an image online to see which eye

it was and it was the same eye," she said.

Madeleine has a blemish on her right eye called a coloboma of the iris. Figures suggest it occurs in about 0.007 per cent of the population.

The woman said neither the girl nor the dark-haired man she was with spoke while being served.

After the pair left her store, the woman alerted a passing police patrol.

"My only reason for alerting anybody is because if my little girl was missing and if someone on the other side of the world was seen who bore any considerable resemblance, I would want it ruled out."

The woman also called the 24-hour Find Madeleine hotline but was unable to reach anyone to report the possible sighting until New Year's Day.

"They thanked me and said they would be in touch if they needed anything else."

As a result of the call to the hotline, British police have also been in contact with the woman.

Police have been given clear CCTV footage taken from several angles inside the store.

It is not the first time a possible sighting of Madeleine has been reported in New Zealand. In December 2007, a CCTV video taken from The Warehouse in South Dunedin showed a girl who looked like the missing child being led into the store by a man. More than two years later, Dunedin police identified the girl and confirmed she was not Madeleine.

Last week, Kate McCann posted an update on the findmadeleine. com website thanking everyone who still held her daughter in their hearts and encouraged the public to continue to be vigilant.

"As Madeleine's parents, we won't be able to rest until we know that all that can be feasibly done to find her, and the person who took her, has been done."

"We are very aware that without public help it will be virtually impossible to find Madeleine."

In April, Scotland Yard released a photograph of her as she might look today as a 9-year-old.

At the time, the force also urged the Portuguese judiciary to reopen the case into Madeleine's disappearance.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who led a Metropolitan police review into the case, said he wanted the case reopened to establish what happened and ultimately to bring closure by solving the case.

"We genuinely believe there is a possibility she is alive," Mr Redwood said.

A New Year - a new sighting.

The woman called the 24 hour Find Madeleine hotline but was unable to reach anyone until the following day when she was told "they" would be in touch if "they" needed anything else.

Has anyone spotted the McCanns at Heathrow enrote to New Zealand?

Court cases coming up, with top lawyers in two different countries, a "sighting" is good for Fund Ltd.
They sure still have friends in NZ, or is the wine producer helping them in return for the "New Zealand Savingon Blanc" witch Babtista in PDL never had. There is nothing like free advertisement.
As so called "coloboma" was said to be just a fleck, hard to see. (piers morgan show)

Thanks Annabel

Oh well, it had to happen, another sighting from the other side of the World. This one looks more promising though because the woman saw Madeleine's Coloboma , I hope she followed Madeleine home to see where she was living !!!

O.K. Kate and Gerry, get on the next plane to New Zealand and check this out. Don't ask Scotland Yard, spend your own money.

If anyone falls for this rubbish they want their heads examined.

Panda wrote:Thanks Annabel

Oh well, it had to happen, another sighting from the other side of the World. This one looks more promising though because the woman saw Madeleine's Coloboma , I hope she followed Madeleine home to see where she was living !!!

O.K. Kate and Gerry, get on the next plane to New Zealand and check this out. Don't ask Scotland Yard, spend your own money.

If anyone falls for this rubbish they want their heads examined.

This sounds very convincing, and of course they'll use
their own money and fly out immediately!

pennylane wrote:

Panda wrote:Thanks Annabel

Oh well, it had to happen, another sighting from the other side of the World. This one looks more promising though because the woman saw Madeleine's Coloboma , I hope she followed Madeleine home to see where she was living !!!

O.K. Kate and Gerry, get on the next plane to New Zealand and check this out. Don't ask Scotland Yard, spend your own money.

If anyone falls for this rubbish they want their heads examined.

This sounds very convincing, and of course they'll use
their own money and fly out immediately!

Serious now pennylane, have they EVER gone anywhere to chase up leads.???? Too busy counting their ill gotten gains for that. let's just see how the British Press react to this latest attempt to keep Madeleine alive.

Where will the 2023 sighting of Madeleine be?
Will Flash Gordon jet off to the planet Mungo or will Buck Jones fly in from the 25th Century with her??

Hands up who didn't see this one coming!

Nothing to do with a court case looming - oh no sirree, definitely not - pure coincidence!

And if this 'sighting' is SO important, why are we not given the name of the person who reported it?
Just repeatedly calling her 'the woman' just doesn't cut it.
I mean, it could be absolutely anyone for all we know - couldn't it Clarrie?

malena stool wrote:Where will the 2023 sighting of Madeleine be?
Will Flash Gordon jet off to the planet Mungo or will Buck Jones fly in from the 25th Century with her??

That would certainly make the front pages in 2023 (if there are any front pages left by then).

Boldly going where no reputation management company has gone before!

Panda wrote:

pennylane wrote:

Panda wrote:Thanks Annabel

Oh well, it had to happen, another sighting from the other side of the World. This one looks more promising though because the woman saw Madeleine's Coloboma , I hope she followed Madeleine home to see where she was living !!!

O.K. Kate and Gerry, get on the next plane to New Zealand and check this out. Don't ask Scotland Yard, spend your own money.

If anyone falls for this rubbish they want their heads examined.

This sounds very convincing, and of course they'll use
their own money and fly out immediately!

Serious now pennylane, have they EVER gone anywhere to chase up leads.???? Too busy counting their ill gotten gains for that. let's just see how the British Press react to theis latest attempt to keep Madeleine alive.

No never!

Time for a nice NZ holiday courtesy of The Fund perhaps?

Queenstown Police investigating a reported sighting of missing British girl Madeline McCann say they have identified the young girl seen in Queenstown on New Years Eve and are 'absolutely satisfied' that she is not the missing schoolgirl.

Detective Sergeant Brian Cameron declined to release any details of the identified child stating only that this was not the first occasion that someone had contacted Police remarking on the similarity between the two girls.

http://bnowire.com/inbox/?id=1398

matthew wrote:Queenstown Police investigating a reported sighting of missing British girl Madeline McCann say they have identified the young girl seen in Queenstown on New Years Eve and are 'absolutely satisfied' that she is not the missing schoolgirl.

Detective Sergeant Brian Cameron declined to release any details of the identified child stating only that this was not the first occasion that someone had contacted Police remarking on the similarity between the two girls.

http://bnowire.com/inbox/?id=1398

Whoosh-cluck..... another one bites the dust!

That was quick!

But I wonder if any UK tabs will pick up and run with the original story, despite the fact that the 'sighting' has been ruled out?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/8141816/Girl-not-Madeleine


NOT GIVING UP: Kate and Gerry McCann with a computer-generated image of how their missing daughter Madeleine might look now.

Queenstown police this morning said the reported sighting of Madeleine McCann on New Year's Eve was not the missing British girl.

Detective Sergeant Brian Cameron said police identified the young girl spotted in Queenstown and were ''absolutely satisfied'' she was not Madeleine.

He declined to release any details of the identified child, stating only that this was not the first occasion that someone had contacted police remarking on the similarity between the two girls.

Detectives and police started investigating on New Year's Eve after a report of a possible sighting by a retailer who became suspicious of a man and a young fair-headed girl who bore a striking resemblance to Madeleine.

Senior Sergeant John Fookes, of Queenstown, confirmed police were alerted to the possible sighting late in the afternoon on New Year's Eve.

The 70 police officers patrolling the resort on New Year's Eve were told to keep an eye out for the man and little girl but they were not found, Mr Fookes said.

Detective Sergeant Cameron said there was contact between the Metropolitan police in Britain and Queenstown police.

The Southland Times was alerted to the sighting and investigation on New Year's Eve but delayed publishing the story until police had the opportunity to follow up on the lead in case publicity scuppered the investigation.

Three-year-old Madeleine went missing from the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007 while on holiday with her parents Kate and Gerry, and siblings Sean and Amelie.

The woman who reported the sighting told The Southland Times she immediately thought of Madeleine when the young blond-haired girl came into her store with a man on New Year's Eve.

"She had the same eye defect as Madeleine. Only a very small percentage of the population have that and I was just staring at it the whole time to the point I forgot what they had purchased.

"As soon as they left, I looked up an image online to see which eyeit was and it was the same eye," she said.

Madeleine has a blemish on her right eye called a coloboma of the iris. Figures suggest it occurs in about 0.007 per cent of the population.

The woman said neither the girl nor the dark-haired man she was with spoke while being served.
After the pair left her store, the woman alerted a passing police patrol.

"My only reason for alerting anybody is because if my little girl was missing and if someone on the other side of the world was seen who bore any considerable resemblance, I would want it ruled out."

The woman also called the 24-hour Find Madeleine hotline but was unable to reach anyone to report the possible sighting until New Year's Day.

"They thanked me and said they would be in touch if they needed anything else."

As a result of the call to the hotline, British police have also been in contact with the woman.

Police have been given clear CCTV footage taken from several angles inside the store.

It is not the first time a possible sighting of Madeleine has been reported in New Zealand. In December 2007, a CCTV video taken from The Warehouse in South Dunedin showed a girl who looked like the missing child being led into the store by a man. More than two years later, Dunedin police identified the girl and confirmed she was not Madeleine.

Last week, Kate McCann posted an update on the findmadeleine. com website thanking everyone who still held her daughter in their hearts and encouraged the public to continue to be vigilant.

"As Madeleine's parents, we won't be able to rest until we know that all that can be feasibly done to find her, and the person who took her, has been done."

"We are very aware that without public help it will be virtually impossible to find Madeleine."

In April, Scotland Yard released a photograph of her as she might look today as a 9-year-old.

At the time, the force also urged the Portuguese judiciary to reopen the case into Madeleine's disappearance.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who led a Metropolitan police review into the case, said he wanted the case reopened to establish what happened and ultimately to bring closure by solving the case.

"We genuinely believe there is a possibility she is alive," Mr Redwood said.

Mistaken Madeleine sighting not the first

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/15759693/queenstown-madeleine-sighting-ruled-out/

The girl mistaken for the missing British girl Madeleine McCann in Queenstown on New Year's Eve has sparked previous calls to police.

Queenstown police are not naming the girl who prompted an investigation into the possibility the high-profile missing person case had moved to New Zealand.

Detective Sergeant Brian Cameron said they had identified the young girl seen in Queenstown on New Year's Eve and they were "absolutely satisfied" she is not Madeleine.

"This was not the first occasion that someone had contacted police remarking on the similarity between the two girls," he said in a statement on Friday.

A Queenstown retailer contacted police after she became suspicious of a man and a young girl, who bore a resemblance to Madeleine, when they came into her shop.

The woman said the girl had the same rare eye defect as Madeleine, and she felt obliged to contact police in the slim chance it could be the missing girl, Fairfax reports.

Madeleine was nearly four when she vanished from her family's Portuguese holiday apartment on May 3, 2007 as her parents dined at a tapas restaurant with friends nearby.

Madeleine's parents Gerry and Kate McCann have never abandoned their high-profile campaign to find their eldest daughter, who would now be nine.
There have been previous reported sightings of Madeleine in Dunedin, Milton, Alexandra and Queenstown. Sightings have also been reported in Sweden, Belgium, India and Australia.

matthew wrote:Queenstown Police investigating a reported sighting of missing British girl Madeline McCann say they have identified the young girl seen in Queenstown on New Years Eve and are 'absolutely satisfied' that she is not the missing schoolgirl.

Detective Sergeant Brian Cameron declined to release any details of the identified child stating only that this was not the first occasion that someone had contacted Police remarking on the similarity between the two girls.

[url=http://bnowire.com/inbox/?id=1398

http://bnowire.com/inbox/?id=1398[/quote[/url]]

Nipped in the bud I wonder if the U.K. Press will print this, another "sighting" bites the dust.

i was thinking over christmas that we havent had a sighting for a while -- you can read em like a book -- wonder ig the press will have kate trying to dab a tear away in the press

well i think this knocks on the head the McC view that Dr Goncalo Amarals thesis damaged the search for Madeleine. People are still looking and watching and reporting, seems they havent read about those pesky dogs, jimo

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who led a Metropolitan police review into the case, said he wanted the case reopened to establish what happened and ultimately to bring closure by solving the case.

This is what stands out to me from the latest "sighting" report....SY review bringing closure to the case (though not in a real truthful way, in the mccann way). We must stop this farce

The woman also called the 24-hour Find Madeleine hotline but was unable to reach anyone to report the possible sighting until New Year's Day.



Does that mean it wasnt a 24 hour hotline then if she couldnt reach anyone straight away!

jd16 wrote:

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood, who led a Metropolitan police review into the case, said he wanted the case reopened to establish what happened and ultimately to bring closure by solving the case.

This is what stands out to me from the latest "sighting" report....SY review bringing closure to the case (though not in a real truthful way, in the mccann way). We must stop this farce

Andy Redwood has been too verbose and should keep his mouth shut. His 195 possible leads and Madeleine may be alive makes it seem like the keystone cops doing the review .!! The money was supposed to run out by Christmas surely the Report has been finished by now and handed to Cameron, Scotland Yard have spent more time and money on the Review than the Portugese Police spent on the original investigation !!!!!

"This was not the first occasion that someone had contacted police remarking on the similarity between the two girls," he said in a statement on Friday.

So this innocent wee girl is going to be continually pestered and harassed all her life, thanks to this McCann sighting nonsense?

Just think how many sightings we would have if there was no eye defect (just a fleck)

I thought the Find Madeleine hotline was manned 24/7...at least i think thats what the fund accounts say

I feel so sorry for this poor kid - another innocent family dragged into this never-ending mess.
If ever there was a candidate for one of those 'I'm NOT Maddie, Please Don't Stare At Me' badges, it is her.

And it is all made so much worse by the fact that none of these pathetic 'sightings' would be happening if a certain bunch of spineless cowards had all done the right thing in 2007.
Shame on them all!