Police say clothing pieces, allegedly stained with blood, have been sent for forensic analysis, as the search for Joslin Smith continues.

The clothing pieces were found in an open field over the weekend during a random search for the 6 year old Saldanha girl.

The investigation team descended on the scene where the pieces of clothing were seized as part of ongoing investigation.

Police have not been willing to comment on some media reports that a knife was also found on the scene.

The search for the little girl has now entered its third week, with police resources ramped up again, after initially being scaled down.

This includes SAPS drone operators and search and rescue dogs. It comes after the City of Cape Town also sent teams to assist police in the search.

RELATED: Search for Joslin Smith bolstered by City of Cape Town resources

The Police has again pleaded with residents not to interfere with the investigation, and not to share misleading information.

“The Police appreciate the communities assistance but request the community to stay away from the searching zones. The public must refrain from issuing social media statements with misleading information. The public must allow the police to do their investigation, without any interference.”

The search is intensifying in Saldanha with an identified area in Diazville that has been subdivided into zones as part of the coordination of the search.

The search party has also been bolstered by a contingent from the local South African Navy joining the search. The Saldanha Bay municipality’s firefighters are also playing a pivotal role applying their expertise in the search.

The items found during a search over the weekend have been sent to the Plattekloof forensic laboratory for analysis.

In an official police statement, SAPS reiterated a plea for people to not interfere:

”A humble plea is hereby made by the South African Police Service investigators to members of the public to refrain from spreading false information on social media and desist from recording the searches as this may adversely impact the investigation. The primary focus of the coordinated efforts should be to find Joslin or what happened to her.”

Police Minister Bheki Cele visited the region on Saturday, where he reassured the community, and Joslin’s family, that no resource will be spared in the search for the little girl.

“You are a community that has united though this trying time, don’t allow those who are trying to get political mileage out of the disappearance of a little girl to divide you. Unite and work with the police to bring her back home. From the police side, I want to assure you that no resource will be spared to find her, the police have not withdrawn from this search and they are under a directive to work closer with anyone who comes up with any valuable information that can assist.”

Joslin has now been missing for 14 days, going on 15 days, after disappearing from her home on 19 February. Her mother Kelly told police at the time that Joslin was not feeling well and that she left her in the care of her boyfriend.

But when Kelly returned home from work on Monday the 19th of February, Joslin was nowhere to be found. It was initially reported that the boyfriend reported that he saw the little girl playing with friends outside before she vanished.

Several people have been questioned. No arrests have been made.