The search for William Tyrrell’s remains is set to end “in coming days”, according to police.
Officers and volunteers have spent several weeks scouring locations in and around the town of Kendall, on the NSW Mid-North Coast, where the boy was last seen in 2014.
The operation has been underway for four weeks and according to Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett, the search was sparked by “new information”.
There have been over 1,000 people of interest during the case which has kept police puzzled for years. William was last seen playing out the front of his foster grandmother’s home.
In an update two weeks ago, Detective Chief Superintendent Bennett described this search as “painstaking”.
He said officers were “happy with the progress” but that there was “no great milestone to report”. While several items have been removed from the search site for forensic analysis, the ABC understands that there is no groundbreaking information.
Before the search began, police publicly confirmed for the first time they were looking for William’s remains. Over the past four weeks, several forensic experts have attended a site, about 900 metres from the home formerly owned by William’s late foster grandmother.
It’s been the main site for the most recent search efforts. A local creek, along with water tanks in the area have also been drained, while police scour those locations and a nearby dam.
Police have also seized the foster grandmother’s car from its new owner. It is being examined and a coronial inquest into William’s death is ongoing.
In a statement, a police spokesperson said Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame had been kept up to date with developments from the search.
“Investigators would like to thank the NSW Rural Fire Service, Salvation Army and the local community for their hospitality and assistance,” the spokesperson said.
They said officers remained “committed to finding William Tyrrell”.
Image: NSW Police
This article first appeared on Over60.