A 36-year-old father in Los Angeles has been arrested and charged over the abduction of a two-year-old girl from a car wash earlier this month, who was sexually abused and then dumped in a restaurant parking lot hours later. Police say the key to tracking down the suspect, Michael David Ikeler, of Torrance, was a tip from his observant neighbor, who noticed Ikeler altering the appearance of his car. Investigators had released CCTV footage of the car - a white Nissan Altima - from the crime scene at the self-serve carwash in Gardena on April 2. The mother was washing her car when she heard the toddler scream 'Mommy', only to turn around and find her daughter gone. At the time police described the driver of the vehicle as a serial predator, KTLA reported. Predator: Michael David Ikeler, 36 - seen here in previous booking photos from 2013 - was arrested April 9 and has pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of sexual assault in relation to the abduction of a little girl . Wanted: This CCTV footage of a white Nissan Altima was the way police were able to track Ikeler down, after a neighbor saw it on the news and then noticed Ikeler trying to alter his car, which looked the same . Scene: The little was found alone and naked in this parking lot at Jim's Burgers. She was crying and had obvious injuries on her body, witnesses said . The girl, who has not been identified, was found just over two hours later in the dark parking lot of Jim's Burgers, 13 miles away, after being spotted by concerned customers next to a dumpster. She was naked, alone and had obvious injuries. Witnesses say there were scratches on her legs and that she was screaming and putting her hands over her eyes. Detectives worked around the clock to find the kidnapper responsible for the “horrific attack,” A tip came in on April 5 from a man who had seen the footage on the Nissan Altima on TV, and said his neighbor, Ikela, had been making changes to his car, which fit the description. Ikela was switching the number plates, removing the tint, and doing other cosmetic alterations like adding stickers, the neighbor said. Undercover officers began investigating. DNA evidence was gathered that linked Ikela to the horrific attack. Arrest: Undercover Gardena police officers Ikela's house in Torrance (pictured) and his car on Regina Street near 183rd Street . Father: Ikela lives with his 18-year-old daughter and also has other children. He is being held on a $1 million bond . Ikela was arrested at his home in Torrance  and charged with one count of lewd act upon a child with a kidnapping allegation, and two counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration with child 10 years old or younger, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said. He entered a not guilty plea on April 13. Police have only just released the information about Ikela's arrest, saying they are doing their best to protect the family of the victim. 'I haven’t seen a crime like this in the 20 years I’ve been in Gardena,' a police lieutenant said. 'Our detectives are so thankful to the public and the person who called us,' Gardena Police Lt. Steve Prendergrast told CBS. Ikeler has been arrested previously in Northern California and Arizona but not for crimes involving children. He also has children of his own. Neighbors say his 18-year-old daughter lives with him, and his social media accounts show more kids that appear to his as well. Investigators initially said the person responsible for the kidnapping was a serial predator. Police said Ikeler circled the car wash and as soon as the little girl wandered away, he snatched her. After the little girl was found, the frantic 911 call her mother made was released. The two-year-old girl from Gardena, California,  disappeared from this car wash on April 2 . On the 911 call, the mother can be heard saying: 'I heard a scream and then when I cam around to see her…I heard her say ‘Mom’ and that’s when I turned around to see her washing and she was gone.' Claudia Robles, who was heading into the burger joint where the child was found around 7.15pm, said that the little girl had scratches on her legs and was afraid of going toward the male police officers. The little girl, whom Gardena police have asked not to be identified, repeatedly covered her eyes and screamed after she was found. Police, who originally said she was OK, kept mum on the extent of the girl's injuries and the extent that she had been abused, according toKTLA. The girl's mother was too distressed to speak to media. 'She's a pure little innocent baby,' her aunt Grecian Alvarez said. Police would not describe the extent of the young girl's injuries. Above, the white Nissan was also seen driving in a Gardena neighborhood . Caesar Alvarez, the girl's uncle, said that she was doing well. She was taken to St Francis Medical Center for examination.
Girl disappeared from a car wash in Gardena, California, on April 2 .
She was found two hours later naked at a burger restaurant 13 miles away .
Police searching for driver of white Nissan Altima with tinted windows .
Man in Torrance noticed his neighbor was altering his car and called police .
Michael David Ikeler, 36, was then arrested one week after abduction .
Charged one count of lewd act upon a child with a kidnapping allegation, and two counts of oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child .
Ikeler pleaded not guilty on April 13 .