£100,000 Reward for Information on Missing British Girl in Portugal

Portuguese police have searched 500 apartments, followed up hundreds of leads and interviewed scores of people.

Madeleine McCann was four years old when she was stolen from her bed, May 3, 2007.

(ALGARVE, Portugal) - British 4-year old Madeleine McCann was abducted from her apartment bedroom in Praia da Luz holiday village, Algarve, Portugal, on Thursday, May 3rd, 2007.

There is now a £100,000 reward for her safe return.

Algarve is situated on the extreme South of Portugal, in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

The Post Chronicle reports that there could be a link between the missing girl and a suspect named Robert Murat.

Portuguese police were forced to release Robert Murat over a lack of evidence, but they say they are investigating the case very closely, and they say they have established a motive for why Murat would have kidnapped her, if he did.

33-year old Robert Murat has a young daughter of his own who is about the same age as Maddy, who was taken away from him in a marriage separation. Reports indicate that he eventually stopped visiting his child in the UK where her mother took her after the marriage dissolved.

He was reportedly very upset about being away from his daughter, who is said to "look 'just like' Maddy."

Portuguese police searched Murat's mother's house, 'Casa Liliana.' Murat had been interviewed along with two others about the disappearance of Madeleine. Forensics experts and sniffer dogs were brought in to examine his mother's home, just 150 yards from where the four-year-old was abducted.

Local television stations reportedly showed images of the house, which had a large green gate. Police were observed leaving the house late on Monday after entering it early in the day. They reportedly left the home with computers and mobile telephones.

The Sun UK reports that officers drained a swimming pool on the property and checked its roof and a room beneath the pool as well.

They heard Sun reports that Murat had been seen regularly crossing police tape outside the McCanns' holiday apartment in the Praia da Luz resort since Madeleine's disappearance 11 days ago.

He apparently told reporters that he was half-Portuguese and was helping the McCanns as a translator. Suspicious journalists tipped Portuguese police last week.

Maddy disappeared on May 3rd, 2007, from the ocean-side resort hotel room on Portugal's Algarve coast. Portuguese police have "searched 500 apartments, followed up hundreds of leads and interviewed scores of people," according to Reuters.

If you have any information please call the police on (00 351) 218 641 000.