Madeleine detectives “scaled back” while new British ‘witnesses’ face questioning

The escalation of ‘new’ stories in the long-running Madeleine investigation continues unabated this week with revelations that British residents in Praia da Luz are now among new witnesses due to be interviewed by police.
The residents are all expected to receive their police summons “in the coming days”.
Meantime, British newspapers suggest the investigation into the toddler’s disappearance could be “scaled back”.
With Scotland Yard’s expenses on the way to £10 million – that’s double the amount initially suggested by prime minister David Cameron when he authorised the Met’s Operation Grange investigation three years ago – the Daily Mail reveals that six detectives have now been removed from the case.
The Mail concedes that this “could be interpreted as the probe being scaled back” – but as reports elsewhere are buzzing about the new witnesses, this looks unlikely.
In all, around 10 people are due to be called in for the latest stage of interviews sanctioned by Portuguese investigator Inês Sequeira on the basis of the Met’s most recent letter rogatory.
Most will be interviewed as witnesses, writes Portuguese tabloid Correio da Manhã, though a number will be given “arguido” status – the Portuguese equivalent of ‘defendant’ long-ago given to Madeleine’s own parents before being officially dropped.
These latest developments follow a rush of news stories concentrating on old DNA evidence and the possibility that it will all be re-tested in Britain using new technology not available when Madeleine went missing.
As CM points out, the new interviews are all expected to go ahead before the end of the month.
They will be conducted by Portuguese police, with British detectives sitting alongside. British detectives will be allowed to suggest questions in advance, writes CM, but they will have to request authorisation if they want to actively take part.
Police are continuing with the theory that Madeleine was snatched during a bungled burglary.
CM writes that among the new witnesses are former workers at Praia da Luz’s Ocean Club holiday complex.
While the Met probe is running in parallel with a new Portuguese investigation, the two forces are working on different theories.
According to the Mail, while British detectives think Madeleine was snatched by local people, the Portuguese believe she was taken by a foreigner no longer living in Portugal.