The incompetence comes in not being able to be definitive about what areas were searched. If they were competent they would have a map detailing what exact areas were searched and what wasn't.
Then when bones are found later they would know whether or not they were their before because they would be able to cross reference to pictures taken of the search areas.
One would think that given they found the body that all the areas surrounding it would have been searched. The fact that it was inadequate is shown by them sending out folks to search again.
Because it wasn't there when they searched. This is a very recent robbery.
I'm not defending the DC cops, but if we start expecting them to have found money that wasn't even stolen yet at the time they searched, we look more incompetent than they do. :o)