The seemingly low key police approach to the Georgina Gharsalla disappearance was contrasted with police enquiries into the similar cases of Claudia Lawrence and Madeleine McCann. In these last two cases extended enquiries were made which included arrests, interrogations and site excavations. Some observers suggested it may have been relevant that Lawrence and McCann were both white and came from an upper strata of society, while Gharsalla was mixed race and came from a rather lower strata of society. It was also pointed out that the initial Crimestoppers reward for information on Gharsallah had been £5,000 while at a similar stage in the 2009 Lawrence enquiry the equivalent reward had been £10,000. The Sussex police denied any racial bias.