OFFICIAL INQUIRY FILES and DOCUMENTS
CORRESPONDENCE RELATING TO RENTAL CARS
AND BLUE MINI

This information belongs to the Ministério Público in Portimão, Portugal.
It was released to the public on 4 August 2008 in accordance with Portuguese Law

BLUE MINI CARS

36 to 43 - Cover letter with information re: car rental agencies and details of clients. Blue Mini drivers incl: Ana Duarte; Carlos da Cruz; Maria Dias; Vito Gnomes
TRANSLATED BY ALBYM
08-01 Outros Apensos VIII Vol I Page 36 to 43

08-01 Outros Apensos VIII Vol I Page 36ff

- Ana Duarte: Driver of a blue mini. She was in Lisbon on 3 & 4 May.

08-01 Outros Apensos VIII Vol I Page 36

- Vito Gnomes: Actual name Vito Rui GOMES Fialho: Another blue mini driver: His car is blue but has a distinctive white roof. He lives in Evora but was in Lisbon the entire first weekend of May 2007.

08-01 Outros Apensos VIII Vol I Page 36 to 37
- Carlos da Cruz: Actual name Carlos Jose Santos da Cruz Cardoso: Driver of a blue mini. He was in Caldas da Rainha on 3 & 4 May.

08-01 Outros Apensos VIII Vol I Page 37
- Maria Dias: Actual name Maria Teresa Dias Gameiro: Wife of another blue mini driver (husband Carlos Ribeiro); leasing contract now in her name. They live in Leiria, work all week, use the car only at weekends and the car was not used at all during the first weekend of May 2007 (in the garage the entire time).

  o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p36 o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p37

PASSPORT_ID_PHOTOS 

o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p38 o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p39 o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p40
o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p41 o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p42 o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p43

RENTAL CARS

49 to 50 Report from Scientific Police Laboratory rental cars 

01-01 Outros Apensos 1 Vol I Page 49 to 50
also Processos Vol VII Pages 1819 to1826
01_volume_I_o_apenso_I_Page_49

01_volume_I_o_apenso_I_Page_50
Outros Apensos Vol I page 49
Photos 6 to 10: Various views of the two-seat sofa referred to as evidence item no. 2

Photos 11 to 15: Various views of the single-seat sofa referred to as evidence item no. 3

In accordance with what was requested there proceeded the detailed observation and discovery of possible trace evidence of a biological nature on the the three sofa pieces, with recourse to
[using] techniques of direct observation and a sweeping light using an alternating-wave light source appropriate for the task.

- - - * * * - - -

Outros Apensos Vol I page 50

In a first phase there proceeded the recovery of various hairs existing on the referred sofa pieces, using tweezers appropriate for the task, they
[the hairs] having been placed in a paper
envelope in accordance with procedures issued by the LPC Biology Section.
These recoveries were referenced as trace evidence numbers 1, 2 and 3 in accordance with the reference tags placed on the sofa.

Then there proceeded the search and detection of red/brown-coloured spots that would suggest blood on the three sofa pieces. All the spots detected were submitted to the "Kastle-Mayer" peroxidase test for the presence of blood; all the results obtained were negative.

There also proceeded, on all sofa pieces, the search for the possible existence of semen, skin, saliva, etc., the results obtained having been negative.
After the above search there proceeded the use of a chemical product to find latent blood traces. In the application of that product there were no results characteristic of the presence of blood traces on any of the sofa pieces.


- CONCLUSION -
In the examination performed on the three pieces of sofa, in the garage of the Portimao DIC of the Policia Judiciaria, there were detected and collected various hairs, as better described in the body of this report, they having been referenced as trace evidence numbers 1, 2 and 3, which were delivered to the LPC Biology Section under delivery note 199/2007-CR/L, copy attached, for them to be preserved for future/possible expert examination.
Lisboa, 5 June 2007
[signed] Lino H; Fernando V; (specialists)

49  Letter requesting information on vehicle 14-22-VP
50 to 51 Email re: rental individual

TRANSLATION BY INES

08-01 Outros Apensos 8 Vol I Page 49 -51
o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p49
o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p50
o_apenso_8_Vol_1_p51
Page 49
Fax
From: Vitor Manuel Tavares
Date: 8th May 2007
To: Paula Baptista @ BMW.PT
Subject: Identification of credit contract holder

As it is of fundamental importance for the development of the police investigation, I kindly ask you to provide the elements relating to the credit contract made for the financing of vehicle 14-22-VP.

Given the urgent nature of this request, I would ask you contact Inspector Vitor Matos by telephone on number *****

Signed
Chief Inspector
Tavares de Almeida


Outros Apensos Vol I

Page 50
Fax
From: Paula Baptista BMW
Date: 8th May 2007
To. Vitor Manuel Taves de Alemeida

Subject: Identification of credit contract holder

As requested, I am immediately providing the information about the holder of the ALD contract: C**** J*** S**** D* C*** C****
We will send you a copy of the contract as soon as we have it.

Paula Baptista
BMW Group

Page 51
Fax

Date 8th May 2007
To: Goncalo Amaral, Coordinator of the Criminal Investigation
From: BNP Credito

Dear Sir,

In response to your fax, BNP Credito can inform you that the vehicle make Mini, model Cooper S with number plate 75-95-VP was rented to M**** T***** D*** G****** address***** Parceiros, Leiria.

If you require further information please contact the department for external relations and clients.
2132 to 2133 Letter to Dr. Amaral regarding O'Brien's friend rental car
08-Processos Vol VIII Page 2132 - 2133
08_VOLUME_VIIIa_Page_2132
08_VOLUME_VIIIa_Page_2133

4th Brigade
Inspector Joao Carlos

To the Coordinator of the Criminal Investigation

During inquiries carried out by this police force it was possible to gather information relating to a car used by a friend of Russel O'Brien, one of the elements of the group who travelled with the McCann family on holiday in the Algarve.

As regards the requests for searches of all the vehicles relevant to the process, pages 2002 to 2005, we do not know the identifying elements of this vehicle, however with the aim of continuing with this inquiry we can say that it is a vehicle of the make Opel, model Corsa, number plate 75-AG-62.

We do not have a search warrant for this vehicle and request the emission of this legal instrument in order to be able to complete this inquiry.

6th August 2007
Inspector
Joao Carlos

2134 Search warrant on OPEL Corsa with plate no. 75-AG-62
08-Processos Vol VIII Page 2134
08_VOLUME_VIIIa_Page_2133
Search and Apprehension Report

Date: 2007/08/06

Presiding Officer: Tavares de Almeida

Executing Officer: Joao Carlos and Ricardo Paiva, Inspectors

Search Identity: vehicle belonging to SIXT rent a car.

Time: 14.00

The following result was obtained (detailed description of the number and quantity papers and objects detected and their exact location, search warrant and indication of examinations made).

Search carried out on Opel Corsa vehicle, number plate 75-AG-62, with forensic support, nothing having been found or indicated.

Signed
2897 to 2899  External diligence 25 September 2007 re: hiring of villa and Renault Scenic

TRANSLATED BY ALBYM / INES

11 Processo Volume 11 pages 2897 to 2899
11_VOLUME_XIa_Page_2897
11_VOLUME_XIa_Page_2898
11_VOLUME_XIa_Page_2899

 

Processos Vol XI
Pages 2897-2898


External Inquiry Report

Date: 2007-09-25

Place: Albufeira, Lagos and Praia da Luz

Inquiry requested by: Chief Inspector Tavares da Almeida

Executing Officers: Inspectors Ferreira and Gomes


Description and Result of Inquiry:


On the date referred to above and accompanied by my colleague mentioned above, I went to the offices of the car rental agency A.A. Castanheira - Budget, situated in Albufeira. In compliance with orders received from superiors I requested information about the vehicle previously used by the McCann couple, make Renault, model Scenic, number plate 59-DA-27. I was informed that the vehicle in question was returned to the company on the 23rd September at about 15.30, in the company's Lagos installations. After the return of the vehicle, employee H****** S**** drove the vehicle to the Faro company installations, where it was parked until being taken to the Renault installations in Oeiras, where it was delivered on the 25th September. I was provided with copies of the rental car contract signed by Budget and the arguido Gerald McCann, which are enclosed and which show that the period for the return of the vehicle terminated on 24-09-2007 at 12.30.

In order to provide me with further clarification, my interlocutor put me in telephone contact with I***** P*****, from Budget administration, contactable on ***********. This lady explained to me that the company AA Castanheira-Buget used the vehicle by means of a contract they have with Renault Portugal. The contract they have giving them the right to use the car had already terminated and this is why they had already requested the return of the vehicle by the McCann couple in order to return the Renault. They informed the McCanns that they could exchange the vehicle for another if they wished to continue to use the company's services. As they showed an interest in continuing to use the same vehicle in question, they were informed that they could continue to do so only if they were to purchase the vehicle, to which they responded negatively and that is why they had to return the car.

Subsequently, and also upon superior orders, we proceeded to inquiries with the aim to determine the identity of the owner of the house where the McCanns had stayed for the last weeks, situated at Rua das Flores, 27, Praia da Luz, Lagos.

We established that the residence is situated in a zone called Luz Parque in Praia da Luz. The owner of the property is A******* M****** of Dutch nationality, contactable on ******. However, this individual had delegated the administration of the property to the rental company Winkworth in Lagos.

In the installations of this company we contacted the person responsible for the administration of the property in question, P***** C*****.

She told us that two "agreements" were signed with the McCann couple for their occupation of the property, copies of which are joined.

She added that after the departure of the McCanns this property was occupied by its owner for a short period before being lent by him to a couple he was friends with, this couple currently occupies the property.

P**** C**** said that during the McCann's stay in the property, Winkworth also offered a cleaning service, once a week, which was carried out by **** M****.


Signed

----------------------------------------------------

External diligence 25 September 2007 re: hiring of villa
and Renault Scenic
Date: 25 September 2007; Place Albufeira, Lagos and the town of Luz
Officer: Paulo F. and David G., both Inspectors.
Description of the work:
--- On the above date, accompanied by my colleague named above, I went to the company offices of the vehicle rental company "A.A.Castanheira - Budget" in Albufeira. There, in compliance with higher orders, I requested information about the vehicle previously used by the McCann couple, Renault Scenic, licence 59... I was informed that the vehicle was returned to the company on 23 September last, at 15h30, at their Lagos premises. Soon after that delivery a Budget employee, Henrique S., drove it to the company premises in Faro where it was parked until having been taken to the premises of Renault Portugal in Oeiras where it was delivered precisely on 25th. I was furnished with copies of the vehicle contracts between Budget and Gerald McCann, which are attached, where one can verify
[observe] that the period for delivery of the vehicle terminated at
12h30 on 24 September 2007.
--- In order for better clarification my interlocutor [the lady with whom I was speaking] put me in telephone contact with Sra. Isabel P. in Budget management. This lady explained that the firm AAC-Budget used that vehicle under a contract they have with Renault Portugal. The contract that gave them [AAC-B] the right of use of that car had already terminated and therefore they had already asked for the McCanns to return it in order for them to deliver it to Renault. They had informed the McCanns that they could exchange it for another vehicle should they have intended to continue to use the services of the company. Given that they had shown interest in continuing to possess that specific vehicle they were told that the only way that that could be done would be if they had proceeded to buy it, to which they had responded negatively and therefore they had returned it.
--- Afterwards, also under superior determination, we proceeded the work with a view to determine who owned the property that the McCanns had recently inhabited at Rua das Flores ... Luz - Lagos.
--- We then determined that that address was situated exactly in the area known as Luz Park in the town of Luz. The owner is Mr Arnold M., a Dutch citizen, contactable by phone on 31653... However, this man had delivered the administration of the property to a company, Administration of Properties and Rentals situated in Discovery Avenue ... Lagos, phone 282... and fax 282..., known
as Winkworth.
--- At the premises of this company we contacted the person responsible for the administration of the property in question, Sra. Patricia C., contactable by phone 912...
--- She told us that two "agreements" had been made with the McCanns under which they had lived in the property, copies of which agreements were furnished and are attached.
--- I have added that soon after the departure of the McCanns from the villa it had been re- occupied by its owner for a short period, having then been lent by Mr Arnold M. to a couple who were friends of his, and who were still currently there.
--- Mrs Patricia C. stated further that during the McCann's stay in the villa the Winkworth company
had also furnished a cleaning service once a week which work was done by employee Sra. Ana M., contactable by phone 912... Signed ...

2997 to 2999 - Witness testimony 3 October 2007 of Fernando Adolfo de Vasconcelos Pereira (secondary school instructor, and prior lessee of Renault Scenic used by the McCann couple)
11 Processo Volume 11 pages 2997 to 2999
11_VOLUME_XIa_Page_2997
11_VOLUME_XIa_Page_2998
11_VOLUME_XIa_Page_2999

Witness testimony 3 October 2007 of Fernando Adolfo de Vasconcelos Pereira (secondary school instructor, and prior lessee of Renault Scenic used by
the McCann couple)
Date: 3 October 2007; Time: 15h00; Place: DIC Portimao
Officer: Paulo F., Inspector
To the matter at hand he said:
--- He appears in the case as a witness given that he had in his possession, between 17 May 2007
and 22 May 2007, a vehicle, Renault Scenic, whose licence number he does not recall, that was
rented through the Liberty insurance company as a substitute vehicle for his usual one that had
been involved in an accident. It being that he was shown a copy of the rental contract referring to
the vehicle of that make and model with licence 59-DA-27, which he confirmed as having signed,
through the insurance company.
--- He had collected the vehicle from the AAC premises in Praia da Rocha on 17 May, having
returned it at the premises of the school where he worked, where an employee of the rental
company had gone [to collect it] on 22 May.
--- Asked to clarify his use of the vehicle he states that it was used basically for daily routine trips in
the area around his residence. He was the driver of the vehicle during that time, admitting, though,
that his wife had used it once for the specific purpose of going to the school where he worked.
--- Questioned he states that besides his children, his wife and his/her father, no other person was
conveyed in that vehicle.
--- Also questioned he states that he never transported cadavers, human or any other species, nor
any objects that could have been in contact with cadavers. He states further that during that period
neither he nor other people transported in the vehicle had been in contact with cadavers.
--- Asked he affirms not meeting nor having had any kind of relationship either with the McCanns or
with any other persons with whom they were related/associated.
--- He affirms not having knowledge of any situation happening with the vehicle that could possibly
relate to the fact of cadaver odour having been found in it.
--- The witness was advised of the fact that from this moment he was obligated under judicial
secrecy and to its inherent consequences.
Nothing more was said ...

3274 to 3275 - Letter 8 October 2007 from Germany regarding previous renters of the Renault Scenic

TRANSLATED BY INES

12 Processos Vol XII Pages 3274 to  3275
12_VOLUME_XIIa_Page_3274
12_VOLUME_XIIa_Page_3275


From the German Embassy in Lisbon

To
PJ
DIC Portimao
Attention: G. Amaral

Date 8th October 2007

Subject: Disappearance of Madeleine McCann

Reference: NUIPC 201/07 GALGS fax 000732 of 28.09.2007

Dear Sir,

The Dessau Police located the individual who rented the Renault Scenic from 23 to 26.05.2007.

On 2.10.2007 officers went to the work places of

E******* M******
Wittenberg

And of his wife


K**** M******
Wittenberg


Where they were individually and separately questioned.

In summary they made the following statements:

They were in Portugal from the 16 to 27 May, more precisely in Alvor, near to Portimao and Lagos. They stayed at the Pestana D. Joao resort. They were accompanied by their 3 children (3, 11 and 16 years old) as well as KM?s parents.

When they arrived in Portugal they already knew about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann by means of the German press.

At the holiday resort posters about the disappearance were everywhere. They heard daily news on the radio.

They felt very insecure and always stayed close to their children.

At the beginning of the holiday Mr M was ill with otitis. For this reason they hired the vehicle from 23 to 26 May 2007. They hired the car to be able to travel with their children.

They hired the car from the hotel reception and Mr M signed a contract with the BUDGET rental company.

They picked the car up on 23.05.2007 at 10.00 ? it was delivered to the hotel. They returned the vehicle on 26.05.2007 between 08.00 and 10.00 at the hotel.

It was a 7 seater Renault. They also hired a child seat for their youngest child.
The car was in good condition and clean. There were no particularities. The child seat was already very used.

The vehicle was driven exclusively by Mr M and was used only by the family. Trips were made together. During the rental period they never gave anyone a lift or lent it to third parties.

This vehicle was used for trips to Portimao, Ferragudo and Silves. They were short trips, of between 3 and 4 hours. The driver estimates that not more than 200 to 250 km were clocked up. The furthest place visited was about 50km away.

Neither Mr nor Mrs M have any explanation for the cadaver odour detected in the vehicle.

Neither of them knows the McCann family, they did not have contact with them or anyone from the circle.

Neither Mr nor Mrs M have criminal records or are registered with the police.

With compliments.

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