Christian Brueckner, a German man, is serving a prison sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman and has previous convictions for burglary and sex offences. He has been named as the main suspect in the disappearance of British girl Madeleine McCann, though he denies any involvement. Brueckner was allegedly driving around the Praia da Luz resort in Portugal when Madeleine went missing in 2007. He is currently standing trial for five sexual offences in Portugal between 2000 and 2017.
German police are now examining a white Mercedes van, previously driven by Brueckner and parked near where he was staying in Portugal at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance, for DNA evidence. The van was hired from a dealership in Braunschweig and may contain vital clues related to the case. There has been no formal charges brought against Brueckner in connection with Madeleine McCann’s disappearance. Brueckner is already serving a seven-year prison sentence in Germany for raping an elderly tourist in Algarve, Portugal.
Madeleine McCann was last seen at the age of three in a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal in 2007, sparking an international search effort. Brueckner has been identified as a suspect in her case due to his presence in the area at the time of her disappearance. The white Mercedes van being examined by police is believed to have been used by Brueckner around the time Madeleine disappeared. The focus is now on collecting DNA evidence from the van to potentially link Brueckner to the case.
The German federal police, BKA, are handling the investigation into Brueckner and his alleged involvement in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance. The van being examined was reportedly cleaned and repaired, but may still contain DNA traces from whoever was inside it. The garage employee who worked on the van mentioned that due to data protection issues, they could not provide specific details about the client or the van’s timeline. Brueckner has continuously denied any connection to Madeleine’s disappearance.
Brueckner’s previous criminal record, including burglary and sex offences, has raised suspicions about his potential involvement in the high-profile case. The ongoing trial in Germany for the sexual offences committed in Portugal adds another layer of complexity to the investigation. German authorities are working collaboratively with Portuguese and British law enforcement agencies to piece together the events surrounding Madeleine’s disappearance. The examination of the white Mercedes van is seen as a crucial step in gathering evidence against Brueckner.
