The rescue of Cleo Smith and hunting down of her abductor is "the greatest story in Western Australian policing history", the state's top cop says.
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Terence Darrell Kelly, 37, has been jailed for more than 11 years after pleading guilty to the abduction of four-year-old Cleo from her family's tent at a remote campsite on October 16, 2021.
Cleo was missing for 18 days before finally being found by police, alone in a room at Kelly's Carnarvon home, in the early hours of November 3.
Kelly was arrested nearby about the same time.
The dramatic rescue and Cleo's confirmation of her name was captured by an officer's body-worn camera and made news headlines around the world.
Police Commissioner Col Blanch on Wednesday said the strength of the evidence against Kelly had likely influenced his early guilty plea.
"For me as commissioner, this is No.1 - this is the greatest story in Western Australian policing history," he told reporters.
"The police investigation was meticulous ... the information that we had and the evidence we put together was exceptional."
Police launched a major investigation after Cleo's mother awoke to find the girl missing from the family's tent at the Blowholes campsite, north of Carnarvon.
More than 100 officers were assigned to the task force with investigators processing thousands of calls to Crime Stoppers.
Surveillance footage was sought from motels and children's clothing stores within a 1000km radius of the campsite and forensic officers sifted through more than 50 cubic metres of rubbish from roadside bins.
The state government meanwhile offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Cleo's whereabouts.
Mr Blanch declined to reveal what had led officers to Kelly's home, saying there hadn't been a "smoking gun" that led to his arrest.
"There's not a single reason why you solve a case like this," he said.
"We use data overlays, automatic number plate recognition, telecommunications, eye witnesses.
"Good hard police work, boots on the ground, all of those things contributed to us finding Cleo."
The police chief urged the public to respect Cleo's privacy, describing the actions of her abductor as "evil".
"He committed a heinous crime, a parent's worst nightmare," he said.
"As a father, that's something I never could forgive."
Australian Associated Press
