Police view phone footage of Cleo as new details emerge surrounding her disappearance
New details have emerged surrounding the disappearance of missing four-year-old Cleo Smith, as police confirm they are investigating mobile phone footage.
Detective Superintendent Rod Wilde told the ABC video on Cleo’s mum Ellie Smith’s phone and on her stepdad Jake Gliddon's phone was being used as evidence. Neither have been accused of any wrongdoing though and are not suspects.
"We've got some evidence off the parents' phone, which obviously we can geolocate and all of those types of things, which puts them at that location, at that time, with footage of Cleo on it," he told the ABC.
There is also audio of her from CCTV captured at a nearby shack, he said.
Police believe Cleo taken by 'opportunistic' offender
Supt Wilde believes she was likely taken by an "opportunistic" offender.
Police have interviewed more than 110 people who were at the Blowholes campsite on the night Cleo arrived with her family on October 16.
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Supt Wilde says the family had stayed near their tent all evening and had not socialised with other campers.
"I think it's more than likely an opportunistic-type event," he told Perth radio 6PR on Tuesday.
"We know they got there on the Friday night, it was getting dark, and there would have been limited opportunity for people to observe Cleo at that time."
He added Crimestoppers has received more than 1000 calls about Cleo.
Police searching campsite 'inch by inch'
Acting Police Commissioner Col Blanch told ABC radio that officers are not leaving any stone unturned in the search for the missing girl.
“We’ve tracked down people that we didn’t know, we’ve found them and we have eliminated them, and that’s our focus at the moment — eliminate as many people as possible,” he said.
“Now we’re in a stage where we need to forensically go over that ground inch by inch to see what disturbances might be in nearby areas for any sort of evidence that might give an inkling as to what happened.
“It could be tyre tracks, it could be the sleeping bag — it could be anything.”
Authorities are using drones, satellite technology and phone tower evidence to narrow down their search for Cleo.
Police this week collected more than 50 cubic metres of rubbish from roadside bins stretching from Minilya to Geraldton.
It was transported to Perth, where forensic officers and recruits sorted through hundreds of bags in search of items that may help them find Cleo.
Associate Professor Xanthe Mallett, from Newcastle University, told Yahoo News Australia last week Cleo’s survival really comes down to who took her and why.
"Generally speaking, in cases of familial abduction such as a custody dispute, which this does not look like, it is common for a child to be returned unharmed," Dr Mallett said.
"However, if a predator took her, as sadly seems most likely, then the chances of her being found unharmed are significantly diminished."
The state government is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to Cleo's location.
with AAP
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