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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Madeleine McCann: Police probe 18 intruder break-ins | Madeleine McCann: Police probe 18 intruder break-ins |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| British police investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance are now looking at 18 potentially linked break-ins by a lone intruder into Algarve villas. | British police investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance are now looking at 18 potentially linked break-ins by a lone intruder into Algarve villas. |
| Six have come to light since an appeal by UK detectives last month, with five involving alleged sexual assaults against young British girls. | Six have come to light since an appeal by UK detectives last month, with five involving alleged sexual assaults against young British girls. |
| They include an assault on a girl aged 10 in 2005 in Praia de Luz - the resort from which Madeleine vanished in 2007. | They include an assault on a girl aged 10 in 2005 in Praia de Luz - the resort from which Madeleine vanished in 2007. |
| Scotland Yard says it hopes UK officers will begin operations in Portugal soon. | Scotland Yard says it hopes UK officers will begin operations in Portugal soon. |
| Last month, the Metropolitan Police revealed they were looking at a series of break-ins, including two burglaries in Praia da Luz. | Last month, the Metropolitan Police revealed they were looking at a series of break-ins, including two burglaries in Praia da Luz. |
| More than 500 calls have been made with information since then. | More than 500 calls have been made with information since then. |
| Det Ch Insp Andy Redwood said: "As a result of those 500 calls, we have now identified a further five sexual assaults and one near miss. None of those six matters we were aware of prior to our appeal. | Det Ch Insp Andy Redwood said: "As a result of those 500 calls, we have now identified a further five sexual assaults and one near miss. None of those six matters we were aware of prior to our appeal. |
| "In this new tranche of information we have got one crime which is very clearly in the heart of Praia da Luz in 2005, on a young, white, 10-year-old girl. | "In this new tranche of information we have got one crime which is very clearly in the heart of Praia da Luz in 2005, on a young, white, 10-year-old girl. |
| "Clearly the fact that we've now got an assault that is in the heart of Praia da Luz, very close to where a previous matter had been reported, means that we are even more interested in this as part of the inquiry." | "Clearly the fact that we've now got an assault that is in the heart of Praia da Luz, very close to where a previous matter had been reported, means that we are even more interested in this as part of the inquiry." |
| Pot-bellied intruder | Pot-bellied intruder |
| The case involving the 10-year-old was not reported to police in either country until now. | The case involving the 10-year-old was not reported to police in either country until now. |
| Overall, nine of the 18 break-ins involved alleged sexual assaults against British girls aged six to 12. | Overall, nine of the 18 break-ins involved alleged sexual assaults against British girls aged six to 12. |
| Three took place in Praia da Luz, five in Carvoeiro, nine in Albufeira and one in Vilamoura. | |
| Investigators from Scotland Yard are waiting for an official agreement later this week which would allow them to begin "operational activity" on Portuguese soil. | Investigators from Scotland Yard are waiting for an official agreement later this week which would allow them to begin "operational activity" on Portuguese soil. |
| Dep Asst Commissioner Martin Hewitt said: "I am cautiously optimistic that in the not-too-distant future we are going to start to see activity." | Dep Asst Commissioner Martin Hewitt said: "I am cautiously optimistic that in the not-too-distant future we are going to start to see activity." |
| Mr Hewitt would not reveal what the operations would involve. | Mr Hewitt would not reveal what the operations would involve. |
| Detectives said last month that the lone intruder was described as tanned with dark hair. | Detectives said last month that the lone intruder was described as tanned with dark hair. |
| They said the man was bare-chested in some of the attacks, and some witnesses said he had a pot belly. Three victims said he had a "noticeable odour". | They said the man was bare-chested in some of the attacks, and some witnesses said he had a pot belly. Three victims said he had a "noticeable odour". |
| Two of the families said the intruder had worn a distinctive burgundy long-sleeved top, and one family said the top had a white circle on the back. | Two of the families said the intruder had worn a distinctive burgundy long-sleeved top, and one family said the top had a white circle on the back. |
| The man was said to have spoken English slowly, with a foreign accent. | The man was said to have spoken English slowly, with a foreign accent. |
| Scotland Yard launched a new investigation - codenamed Operation Grange - into Madeleine's disappearance last July, two years into a review of the case. | Scotland Yard launched a new investigation - codenamed Operation Grange - into Madeleine's disappearance last July, two years into a review of the case. |
| A high-profile campaign run by Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, and a Portuguese police investigation had so far failed to locate the missing child. | A high-profile campaign run by Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann, from Rothley, Leicestershire, and a Portuguese police investigation had so far failed to locate the missing child. |
| Madeleine was three when she vanished from the family's holiday apartment. | Madeleine was three when she vanished from the family's holiday apartment. |