Hunt for missing toddler William Tyrrell intensifies as more cops working to find him

THE homicide team investigating the abduction of toddler William Tyrrell has been beefed up, with more than a dozen detectives and analysts now working around the clock to find him.

Supplied image obtained Friday, April 17, 2015 of missing three-year-old boy William Tyrrell. The parents of the missing boy are begging for their son's return, seven months after he disappeared from the NSW town of Kendall. (AAP Image/NSW Police) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

THE homicide team investigating the abduction of toddler William Tyrrell has been beefed up, with more than a dozen detectives and analysts now working around the clock to solve one of the state’s biggest cases.

Resources for the dedicated strike force, led by senior Homicide Detective Gary Jubelin, have been significantly increased over the past six months to sift through hundreds of pieces of information pouring in from the public.

The ramped-up investigation comes after a personal plea from William’s mum and dad to members of State Parliament, including Deputy Premier and Police Minister Troy Grant, at a private event late last year.

William Tyrell has been missing since September, 2014.

William’s family have welcomed the increased resources, saying it renewed their faith police had not given up on finding their boy alive.

The unprecedented Where’s William campaign, along with the international public interest in the three-year-old’s disappearance from Kendall in 2014, has led to a record number of calls to Crime Stoppers about the case.

NSW Homicide Squad Commander Michael Willing said the investigation was now “one of the biggest investigations being run by homicide”.

“Gary (Jubelin) came to me and we went to State Crime Commanders and said we needed more resources and that was directly on the back of the increase in information,” Superintendent Willing said.

“We are dedicating as many resources as we can to it. It is one of, if not the biggest, investigations that were currently conducting and we’ll keep giving it whatever resources it needs.

William’s family welcome the increased resources saying it renewed their faith police had not given up on finding their boy.

“There is an enormous amount of information to go through and new information is coming through every day.

“Sadly, these types of matters sometimes take time and that’s sad for everyone.”

William Tyrrell disappeared in Kendall.

Police have since revealed they believe it was a targeted abduction and that he may have been the victim of a paedophile ring operating in the area.

Bravehearts children’s charity founder Hetty Johnston, who spoke to The Sunday Telegraph this week on behalf of William’s family, said his mum and dad were “extremely grateful” for the increased resources dedicated to finding their little boy.

“They are very reassured by that and trust that they are doing everything they possibly can to help in locating William, but at an emotional level it’s hard for them to describe how it makes them feel because they’re so overwhelmed,” Ms Johnston said.

“They believe the police want to find him as much as they do and they have 100 per cent faith that will not stop until they do.

“They just want to reinforce that police believe he could still be alive and they’re just asking members of the public not to give up on him.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.

For more information about the campaign, visit whereswilliam.org