It has been reported that officers are preparing to fly to Portugal to speak with 3 thieves that were believed to have been operating in the resort of Praia de Luz, where Maddie disappeared in 2007.
It is reportedly alleged that the thieves operating in the area initially targeted the McCann’s apartment, but panicked when they woke the young child and kidnapped her.
Making an arrest is a difficult process for the officers involved in the search due to the thieves not being of British nationality, so full cooperation with local authorities in the Portugal is required to move forward with the case.
Scotland Yard seemed to confirm reports that arrests were imminent.
A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: 'We can confirm a second International Letter of Request has been sent to the Portuguese authorities by the Crown Prosecution Services.’
Maddie’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, have been campaigning tirelessly to find their daughter.
A spokesman for the family has said: ‘Police want to be given a chance to arrest key suspects. It doesn’t prove they have Madeleine but it will rule them in or out of the investigation and that is important.’
‘Kate and Gerry don’t want to build up their hopes too high but they realise it could be a significant new lead.'
Operation Grange was set up in 2011 to review the case and 37 police officers are working on the search to find Madeleine.