German police 'may be on the right track' with reservoir search, ex-Maddie cop claims

Gamble told GB News: “What's particularly interesting is that the German police have been absolutely 100 percent focused on this investigation.

“They believe that he is the right person, and they haven't wavered from that.

“Given what I know about the German police and having worked with them in the past, they're generally quite conservative and quite cautious. So there's a high level of confidence with them that they're on the right track.”

In a discussion with Patrick Christys, he said the reservoir was checked twice in 2008 by divers employed by a local lawyer who came away empty-handed.

Mr Gamble said: “What will be interesting to see over the next few days is what they do that's different. I'm sure it'll be a much more thorough search because it's the German police who are leading this facilitated by the Portuguese and that's important. I think they'll do a much more rigorous search.

“I'm hoping that it's based on some information they have which they haven't as yet shared with the wider public so that it's more targeted. And of course, they will have the full range of technical resources available to them to make a search more effective.

“The truth is, I wouldn't pin my hopes on this. I think it's another line of inquiry, but because it's coming from the German police investigation, that makes it extremely interesting but we're going to have to wait and see.”

He added: “If they're just searching the entire area, then I think I'm not hopeful. If they're searching specific areas and with a specific intent and a deliberate focus, then that means they're operating on the back of new information or new intelligence.

“The key issue for me and that people should be aware of is this. He is a prime suspect. He absolutely fits the profile of the type of criminal that would commit this crime.

“We know that opportunity was there, through significant circumstantial evidence that the German police have to hand, and some of that evidence we already had.

“But the key is this. I've also seen investigations where we've become so focused on one offender and spend so much time and so many years and resources chasing that lead that we miss another potential suspect. So I think this is a situation where we need to wait and see what comes out of it.”

Police in Germany said in 2020 that they believed Christian Brueckner kidnapped and murdered Madeleine.

But the lead suspect, who is currently behind bars after raping an American pensioner in 2005, has not yet been charged in the McCann case has not yet been charged

The 45-year-old remains under investigation on suspicion of murder after spending many years in Portugal around the time of the then-three year old’s disappearance.

However, the convicted paedophile may never face a trial over McCann’s disappearance due to a legal technicality over foreign courts’ jurisdiction.

Bruckner has denied any involvement in McCann’s abduction.

No suspects have ever been charged in connection with the case.