Madeleine McCann: Police 'electrified' by new evidence in relation to prime suspect
Madeleine McCann (left) and prime suspect Christian Brueckner (right)
PA
Police investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are said to be excited and "electrified" by the discovery of new evidence.
The prime suspect reportedly had a kit for breaking into people's homes, officers working on the case have said.
Christian B is thought to have owned a "lock picking kit" that could twist the cogs and open any security door.
He is said to have boasted to a friend about his tools - which brings into question the long-held theory that Madeleine's abductor climbed through a window before snatching her from her room in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
Madeleine McCann disappeared during a family holiday in 2008PAPolice are also looking into another theory about whether Christian B used a chemical found at his work place, where he was employed as a car mechanic to sedate Madeleine in order to move her out of the family apartment without her making any noise.
The convicted sex offender has denied any involvement in the abduction.
Helge B, a key witness who is now under police witness protection in Germany, spoke about what Christian B had told him.
The witness, who knew Christian B years before Maddie's disappearance, told The Sun on Sunday that he found the kit at suspect's home in the Algarve.
He said: “I knew from Christian that he uses tools to break into holiday resorts, hotels and holiday homes to steal from tourists.
“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.
"You can use it to pick any lock, including security locks.”
The pair had been friends in Portugal before Helge B found video footage of Christian B raping an American pensioner and a teenage girl.
Police are also looking into another theory about whether Christian B used a chemical found at his work place, where he was employed as a car mechanic to sedate Madeleine in order to move her out of apartment 5a without her making any noise
PAHe said: “[The victim] said: ‘This borders on rape!’ And he just said: ‘Shut up.’ That's when I knew what kind of guy Brueckner was.”
Helge B previously said he and Christian B discussed the Madeleine McCann case at a music festival in Spain in 2008 where the suspect allegedly told him "she didn't scream".
He said: “[The topic of Madeleine's disappearance] came up and I said: ‘Anyway, I don't understand how the little one could have disappeared without a trace.’
“Christian had drunk two or three beers, and he said: ‘She didn't scream'."