“THE FOREST SECRET HE DIDN’T WANT FOUND” 🌲🐾💣
Authorities just exposed Christian Brueckner’s chilling woodland bunker — a tarp-covered cabin buried deep in the German woods, guarded by a snarling pitbull and two silent female “assistants” who refused to give their names. When reporters pressed him — “What are you hiding?” — the convicted predator froze, staring at a single metal box officers had removed from his doorframe.
What was inside that box has investigators more unsettled than anything they’ve seen in years…
Christian Brueckner’s new woodland lair discovered as two female ‘helpers’ with pitbull guard Maddie suspect’s lair
The convicted rapist and paedophile refused to speak to The Sun when we demanded: ‘What are you afraid of?’
THE Sun has tracked down Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner to his new woodland lair — as prosecutors vowed to fight on even if he tries to disappear.
The paedo, 49, is being guarded in his woodland bolthole by two creepy female “helpers” and a vicious pit bull terrier.
Madeleine McCann suspect Christian Brueckner’s new woodland lairCredit: Dan Charity
But the convicted rapist and paedophile refused to speak to The Sun when we demanded: “What are you afraid of?”
He moved from his first camp after we revealed last week he had been forced into hiding by locals angry at his release from prison.
Now he is hoping to be granted a new identity and start afresh after a court gave him permission to leave Germany.
Police fear they will no longer be able to track him as his ankle tag will stop working as soon as he crosses the border.
But prosecutors will try to delay him — and hope new witnesses will allow them to bring a fresh case against him.
Snarling pit bull
The Sun tracked Brueckner, 49, to his new lair on the edge of a northern German city. In our first encounter, the smirking paedophile stood grinning behind cops.
He is said to have grown close to two women, named locally as Mandy and Mona, who have been guarding his camp with a snarling pit bull.
They denied being romantically involved with him, insisting: “We are his helpers”.
We challenged Brueckner later as he lay inside his zipped-up tent.
Two cans of Holsten Pils and his shoes were outside it, while fairy lights in the branches, a screen made from sticks and leaves, and a gleaming new bike added to the bizarre scene.
For two minutes we asked him to talk, and even offered to leave if he just acknowledged us.
But his lawyers have ordered him to say nothing to us after we uncovered a haul of compelling evidence against him earlier this year.
Three-year-old Madeleine, of Rothley, Leics, vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in 2007 — at a time when Brueckner was in the area.
He was named prime suspect in 2020 while serving seven years in Germany for the rape of a 72-year-old woman. He was freed in September, but tagged.
We will keep going as long as we believe there is still evidence out there to find — and we believe there is.
Prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters
This week investigators, fearing he will disappear abroad, will ask a court for a temporary travel ban until bugs with the equipment are fixed.
In an exclusive interview, prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters said: “If he leaves Germany it will be incredibly difficult to continue monitoring him.
“But we don’t need Christian Brueckner here to keep investigating. He doesn’t speak with us anyway.
“We will keep going as long as we believe there is still evidence out there to find — and we believe there is. One piece of forensic evidence or a new witness could crack the case instantly.”
Mr Wolters said they hold more on the paedophile than the public knows and added: “There are other witnesses.”
Brueckner has always publicly denied any involvement in Madeleine’s disappearance.
But one witness, Helge Busching, claimed he all but confessed to him at a music festival in Spain — saying “she didn’t scream” as the pair discussed the case.
More recently Brueckner bragged in a phone shop that he could solve “the scandal of the century”.
‘One matter’ left to settle
A Sun investigation — aired as a Channel 4 documentary in May — revealed cops are in possession of images that help contribute to their understanding that Madeleine is dead.
In online chats with another paedophile, he even talks about his desperation to “take something small and use it for days”.
Despite the circumstantial evidence, investigators have been reluctant to charge over the case fearing the lack of forensic evidence would harm their chances.
They were also spooked by a court clearing Brueckner of rape and a string of sex assaults last year — the acquittal which put him on the path to freedom.
Brueckner has since said he has just “one matter” left to settle in Germany — then he will leave the country as soon as he gets some money together.
He has already been estimated to have paid £2,000 in benefits since being freed.
TIMELINE OF THE MADDIE CASE
HERE’S a timeline of the case which has gripped the world.
May 3, 2007
Madeleine McCann disappears from her family’s holiday apartment in Praia da Luz, Portugal, sparking a massive police search and becoming one of the most famous missing persons cases in history.
January 15, 2016
Neighbour reports a possible ‘grave’ at Brueckner’s abandoned factory in East Germany.
Cops find disturbing images on USB sticks and launch a full-scale search.
February 16, 2016
Christian Brueckner is convicted for abusing a girl of five in a park after images found on his laptop.
He was sentenced to 15-months behind bars but was already on the run by then.
May 3, 2017
Around this time, Helge B calls an information hotline after watching a ten-year anniversary special on the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.
He reports an alleged confession by Christian Brueckner.
September 27, 2018
On-the-run Christian Brueckner is arrested over outstanding drugs claims in Italy.
He is extradited to Germany the following year.
December 16, 2019
Christian Brueckner was convicted, in Germany, for the 2005 rape of an American woman in Praia da Luz, Portugal, after his DNA was matched to a hair found on her bed.
He was sentenced to seven years behind bars.
June 4, 2020
German prosecutors reveal to the world they have a suspect in custody under investigation for the abduction of Madeleine McCann.
For the first time they claim Madeleine is dead.
German media later name him as Christian B (Christian Brueckner).
June 23, 2023
In his first interview, witness Helge B alleges to German newspaper Bild that Christian Brueckner all-but-confessed the Madeleine abduction to him, by allegedly saying “she didn’t scream” as they talked about the case, at a music festival, in Spain.
February 16, 2024
Brueckner goes on trial accused of none-McCann allegations of rape and sex assault, in Braunschweig, Germany.
Prosecutors hope for a conviction to keep him behind bars permanently and lead to McCann charges.
October 8, 2024
Brueckner was acquitted of all claims.
Prosecutors launch an appeal, however. Decision pending.
June 1, 2025
Police order a renewed search for clues in Praia Da Luz on the Algarve in Portugal.
It lasts for just three days.
September 17, 2025
Christian Brueckner released from jail after serving sentence for rape and allowed to walk free.