The search for a five-year-old believed to have been snatched from her home in Alice Springs has entered its third day.

Police have sent clothing believed to belong to a recently-released prison inmate for forensic testing as part of their desperate search for a five-year-old girl believed to have been snatched from her home.

The desperate search for Sharon in the remote outback town of Old Timers Camp, in Alice Springs, has entered its third day.

She was last seen at her home in Marshall Court about 11.30pm on Sunday.

Police believe 47-year-old Jefferson Lewis – who they said was at the house at the time – may have abducted the five-year-old.

Clothing believed to belong to Lewis and other items have been removed from the crime scene and officers are waiting on analysis results.

Sharon has been missing since Saturday night. Picture: NT Police

Sources say Sharon was seen walking hand in hand with Lewis.

Lewis, 47, originally from the remote Aboriginal community of Lajamanu, has been in and out of jail for the past ten years.

He was released from jail just six days before the little girl’s disappearance.

He had been serving an 18 month sentence for aggravated assault and breaching a domestic violence order and breaching bail. He was released after serving the full term of his sentence, effectively meaning he is not on parole.

His priors include assaulting police, firearm offences, breaching bail, traffic and property offences.

It is believed he was heavily intoxicated at the time of the girl’s disappearance.

The little girl’s mum put her to bed at 11.30pm and reported her missing two hours later – she was taken from her bed.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner Peter Malley said despite the girl being missing for more than 48 hours, they believe Sharon is still alive.

“At this stage our number one mission is to find her safe and well,” he told reporters.

“But as you know, as time goes on, the chances of … finding her live and well reduced.”

Commissioner Malley said there was a “bit of a party” happening at the time of Sharon’s disappearance, with her mother “doing some washing” in the area.

Sharon was reportedly seen holding hands with the 47-year-old on Saturday night.

“Sharon’s mum was over there to do some washing and she knew people there. So she was quite welcome in that area,” he said.

Commissioner Malley said Mr Lewis had a “loose connection to the family” and was released from prison six days earlier.

“They just happened to be present together at that location on Saturday night,” he said.

Missing girl and 47yo man seen ‘holding hands’: cops

Commissioner Malley said the five-year-old was last seen walking out of the house and “holding hands” with Mr Lewis.

A crime scene has been established near the camp where the little girl went missing, with part of the area cordoned off with police tape.

“We believe Jefferson Lewis has led the little girl away to that crime scene that we have taped off,” he said.

Commissioner Malley said police were yet to determine a motive behind the alleged abduction.

However, he said there may be a chance Mr Lewis was intoxicated at the time.

“There was alcohol being consumed at the camp at the time, and so he probably was under the influence of alcohol,” he said.

Sharon was wearing a dark blue short-sleeved T-shirt with a white ring stripe around the neck and the end of the sleeves and a pair of black boxer-style underwear.

No confirmed sightings of Sharon

Commissioner Malley said while there had been no confirmed sightings of Sharon, some members of the public claimed to see Mr Lewis.

“We’ve had a couple of possible sightings of Jefferson but we’re unable to confirm it was him at this stage,” he said.

Commissioner Malley also said there was a possibility Mr Lewis was being driven around the area.

“We don’t believe he has access to a vehicle,” he said.

“That’s not to say that somebody is not driving him around.”

Commissioner Malley said they do not believe Mr Lewis had fled interstate and is still in the region.

He told reporters the major crime unit were working in conjunction with Alice Springs police, and confirmed the fugitive task force had been called to the town to assist in the search.

“The fugitive task force is inbound at this stage, so they will be here on the ground later this afternoon,” he said.

Commissioner Malley said the search for Sharon was “one of the biggest investigations we’ve had going for a while”.

“This is a declared major crime and as such I have got access to all the resources of the Northern Territory Police,” he said.

Police believe Mr Lewis led the little girl away. Picture: NT Police

Police reject claims search started too late

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Commissioner Malley rejected claims the search for Sharon began too late.

“The team has done everything within its power,” he said.

“It was up and running very, very early, resources here as part of the search are really significant.”

Aboriginal trackers have been deployed in the area to assist with the search, NT Police executive director of cultural reform Leanne Liddle said.

“We also have the assistance of the volunteers, we’ve also got the assistance of the land councils,” she said.

The search for the little girl has entered its third day, with police scouring Alice Springs with the assistance of emergency services and volunteers from the Tangentyere Council and Purple House.

An NT Police spokesman told NewsWire that about 60 people were taking part in the ground search on Tuesday.

The search includes helicopters, drones, the dog unit, horses, motorcycle and ATVs.

“Tangentyere Council has assisted greatly with organising volunteers,” the spokesman said.

About 46sq km has so far been searched by helicopter, while officers and volunteers have scoured about 20sq km on foot.

The search for the little girl has entered its third day. Picture: ABC

Sergeant Matt Hall said the search had been slow due to the challenging environment.

“It is a vast search area that we are looking at and going through methodically,” he told ABC Radio Darwin.

“The area’s heavily overgrown with buffel grass, so in some areas it’s shoulder-to-shoulder search pattern through that area.

“So, it’s slow going, but we will continue to push through.”

Police and volunteers have scoured dense bushland and shrubbery. Picture: ABC

Community overwhelmed by support

Ms Liddle said the community had been overwhelmed with support from police and search volunteers.

“The community support has been overwhelming and we’re grateful for that support,” she said.

“We have enough volunteers and we have enough specialist people on the ground now to assist us.”

She said Sharon’s family were “very distressed” by the little girl’s disappearance.

“We advised them we are doing all we can to find her,” she said.

On Tuesday, Anthony Albanese said the suspected abduction was “every parent’s worst fear”.

“This breaks the heart of everyone who hears about this story,” the Prime Minister told reporters.

“Every parent’s worst fear is your child going missing. If you don’t know where they are for five or 10 minutes, it can cause a great deal of anxiety for parents out there.

“And we just hope that this little girl is found.

“I think, on behalf of all Australians, we want to see a safe return.”

Police are searching for Jefferson Lewis, who they believe can assist with inquiries. Picture: NT Police

He was recently released from prison. Picture: NT Police

Mr Lewis was recently released from prison for violent offences, including assault and domestic violence.

Acting Commander Mark Grieve said Mr Lewis was believed to have disappeared at the same time as Sharon.

He said the 47-year-old “was in and around the house at that point in time, so I’m assuming there was some sort of recognition of who he may be”.

“He’s the only person that we haven’t been able to locate and speak to who was in and around that area at the time.”

Commander Grieve said police believe Sharon was snatched.

“We do believe Sharon has been abducted,” he said.

Police said the search for the little girl had rocked the community.

“Obviously, it’s a terrible situation to have such a young child go missing,” Commander Grieve said.

He urged anyone with information to come forward.

“You just don’t know what piece of information might complete the jigsaw puzzle,” he said.

“We want to find Sharon healthy and we want to get her back to her family.”