Investigators trying to link convicted German pedophile Christian Brueckner to the disappearance and probable death of toddler Madeleine McCann in 2007 say they have uncovered a secret compound that belonged to Brueckner’s former girlfriend.

The compound came to light recently when German authorities interviewed Nicole Fehlinger’s father for a second time, the UK tabloid The Mirror reported.

Dieter Fehlinger reportedly told detectives that Brueckner had access to the secret lair and that the property had not been searched.

“No one knows that my daughter not only had the private residence in Portugal at her disposal, but also a separate compound,” Dieter Fehrlinger reportedly said. “No one has ever searched there, or the property has never turned up in connection with Maddie, Brueckner or Nicole.

Madeleine, 3 years old at the time, was vacationing with her family in Praia da Luz, Portugal, in May 2007 when she vanished from her hotel room while her parents were dining a short distance away on the resort property, as CrimeOnline previously reported. The investigation has been active for years, though authorities had not named an official suspect until last year, when prosecutors in Germany said they believed Brueckner, who is currently in prison on an unrelated conviction, was involved in Madeleine’s disappearance and presumed murder.

Brueckner denies any connection to the little girl.

Dieter Fehlinger told investigators that his daughter’s compound was “an overgrown property of over 5,000 square meters,” surrounded by fencing and guarded by four Kangal shepherd dogs, a large Turkish breed that has been used to protect African flocks from big cats like lions and cheetahs. He said the land is near his daughter’s house, about 40 miles from Praia d Luz.

The Mirror did not say if Nicole Fehlinger still owns the property.

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[Featured image: Christian Brueckner and Madeleine McCann/handouts]