William Tyrrell: NSW Government offers reward for information leading to return of missing toddler

TWO years since he vanished from his grandmother’s yard yet and still no clue about what happened to William Tyrrell, police announced a $1M reward.

A RECORD $1 million reward has been offered to anyone who can provide police with new information that leads them to missing toddler William Tyrrell.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione announced the offer yesterday on the second anniversary of William’s disappearance, which has gripped the country.

William Tyrrell vanished two years ago today

Mr Scipione said the case had “captured the hearts and minds of the nation”.

“Those million dollars, we hope, encourages anyone with any information to come forward to reunite William with his family,” he said.

Dressed in his favourite Spiderman suit, William (pictured), 3, was last seen playing in his grandmother’s front yard in Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast on the morning of September 12, 2014.

Mystery ... William in his Spider-Man suit.

$1 million reward ... NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and NSW Premier Mike Baird announce the bounty yesterday.

Investigators hope the prospect of so much money will prompt anyone with information to contact members of Strike force Rosann, led by Detective Chief Inspector Gary Jubelin.

“I can guarantee that we can protect your identity. We can protect your safety,” Insp Jubelin said. Police have identified nearly 700 persons of interest in the hunt for William’s abductors.

“It is the state’s largest investigation,” Ch Insp Jubelin said. “We’ve had over 2800 reports to Crime Stoppers … we have a further 196 reports directly to the strike force. We’ve had 1078 sightings of William Tyrrell.

Washing machine repairman William “Bill” Spedding.

Anniversary ... William Tyrell. Picture: NSW Police

Reward ... William before he vanished. Picture: NSW Police

Police search for William Tyrell search in bushland near his home. Picture: Nathan Edwards

Thousands across the country have staged Walk for William days.

“We’ve identified 690 persons of interest and I want to make it clear that the fact that we’ve got so many persons of interest doesn’t mean we have no idea on what’s happened.’’

Insp Jubelin made a special point of clearing William’s parents of any involvement in his disappearance.

Early in the investigation police identified a local paedophile ring operating in Port Macquarie and the surrounding areas and have not ruled out that William was snatched by someone involved with that group.

In a separate line of inquiry, a local washing machine mechanic William “Bill” Spedding, who visited the home of William’s grandmother, has been questioned several times by police and has continually denied any involvement in the youngster’s disappearance. He has not been charged.