Daily Mail
Tom Kelly
A pickpocket has stolen treasured pictures of missing four- year- old Madeleine McCann from her father.
Gerry McCann was in London for a brief visit and withdrew £100 from a cash machine moments before the thief struck, lifting his wallet from a back pocket and running off.
The three pictures of Madeleine and her brother and sister were in the wallet along with cards and the cash.
They have never been seen in public and there are no copies.
Mr McCann, who is in London to organise the campaign helping to track down Madeleine, who vanished 49 days ago in Portugal, is said to be distraught.
Yesterday his sister, Philomena McCann, said: 'Gerry was at the bank to get some British currency, because he didn't have any at all.
'He took out £100 from a hole-in-the- wall machine, put it in his wallet then popped it in his back pocket.
'He bent down to put something in his rucksack and some dirty animal had the wallet out of his back pocket.
(Blogger note: Why were the McCann's complete bank account records not turned over to the Portuguese police ?)
'We don't care about the money but we do care about getting the pictures of Madeleine back.
'There were three special ones that Gerry always kept with him, showing Madeleine and the twins. They were his favourites, really treasured pictures.
'How can you do that to someone who's been through what he has?
'He's desperate to get them back. He's not bothered about the money, he'd just like whoever stole them to hand them back.
'The family has been overwhelmed by the support and affection from all around the world but it takes just one rotten apple to bring you down.
'I hope whoever took the wallet is so ashamed when they realise what they've done that they get those pictures back to us as soon as possible.'
Mr McCann, 39, was pickpocketed at a cash machine at Waterloo station in Central London.
He arrived on Tuesday for a two- day visit to interview candidates for the job of campaign manager who will help keep Madeleine's profile high.
His sister revealed that the consultant cardiologist had earlier come to the rescue of a fellow passenger who collapsed during his easyJet flight from Portugal.
The man, who has not been named, needed a medical assessment on arrival at Gatwick Airport and was taken by ambulance to hospital. An airline spokesman said: 'Mr McCann administered oxygen and advised the crew on how to treat the man.'
His sister said: 'He didn't make a big deal out of it because it's the kind of thing he does all the time at work.'
The trip to London was only the second time Mr McCann has returned to the UK since Madeleine was kidnapped.
He arrived back in Portugal yesterday to be reunited with his wife Kate and the couple's two-year-old twins, Sean and Amelie.
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