The dingy apartment where Christian Brueckner, a suspect in the Madeleine McCann case, stayed post-release from jail has been abandoned. Brueckner, a convicted sex offender, left the residence in Neumunster, Germany, following a leakage of the address on a local WhatsApp group. Upon his departure, irate locals confronted him with shouts of “scum” and “shame on you” as police escorted him from the flat.
Accompanied by officers, Brueckner carried two carrier bags containing his meager belongings as he calmly walked to a police vehicle. Having been freed from prison on September 17, he resided briefly in the sparsely furnished flat, which consisted of only a single bed, a chair, and a desk with a lamp. The other rooms were bare. Brueckner, aged 48, is the prime suspect of the German police in the disappearance of three-year-old Madeleine in 2007 while she was vacationing with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal.
Living close to the vacation spot, Brueckner denies any involvement in the case. Previously imprisoned near Hanover for raping a US pensioner in 2005 in the same area, he was spotted eating at McDonald’s and purchasing a mobile phone, visibly amused while displaying his ankle tag on CCTV footage. During his interactions, he hinted at possessing information that could potentially resolve a major scandal.
Despite being the primary suspect, no arrest warrant has been issued against Brueckner in connection with Madeleine’s case due to insufficient forensic evidence linking him to her disappearance. Authorities have confirmed his presence near the McCann family’s location and have disclosed that his phone was in proximity to the Ocean Club during their stay. Following his release from prison, Brueckner was placed in temporary accommodation and is required to wear an ankle tag for five years with his passport confiscated.
After being escorted from the apartment by police, Brueckner’s relocation was confirmed, though no arrest was made. Allegedly, he expressed concerns about his safety due to frequent recognitions and his legal team is contemplating transferring him to Munich. Additionally, Brueckner aims to pursue legal avenues allowing him to depart Germany and potentially seek asylum in a country that does not extradite to Europe or the UK, such as Suriname.