A father and his three young children, who have been missing for more than two years, are believed to be hiding in a remote area of New Zealand.
Tom Phillips and his three children Jayda, 10, Maverick, eight, and Ember, seven, were reported missing by relatives on January 18, 2022, in the small village of Marokopa on the west coast of the country’s northern island.
No one has seen the children for over two years, although their father has been seen several times and is also believed to have been involved in an armed robbery.
But now police believe they know where the fugitive and his children are hiding.
Tom Phillips (pictured) and his three children Jayda, 10, Maverick, 8, and Ember, 7, (pictured below) were reported missing by relatives in the small village of Marokopa on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island. January 18, 2022
“We believe Tom and the children are hiding in Western Waikato, in Marokopa or surrounding areas,” said Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders. said.
“While the environment is challenging for investigators, we continue to dedicate resources to this operation and follow up on all reported sightings.”
‘We continue to assess existing evidence and new information and appeal to the community to come forward with any details that could help reunite the three children with their families.’
Phillips, a skilled hunter with intimate knowledge of the bush, was last seen on grainy CCTV footage in November last year attempting to rob a shop in Piopio in the Waitomo District with another person, believed to be one of his children.
Dressed in army-style combat fatigues with caps pulled low and masks covering their faces, the two figures can be seen exiting a red quad bike before approaching the shop window.
Phillips then allegedly vandalized the storefront before fleeing when the alarm went off.
In May last year, two armed people entered an ANZ bank in Te Kūiti, demanding cash before fleeing on a black motorcycle (pictured). Police later linked Phillips to the robbery and charged him with aggravated robbery, aggravated battery and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Phillips, a skilled hunter with intimate knowledge of the bush, was last seen on grainy CCTV footage in November last year attempting to rob a shop in Piopio in the Waitomo District with another person, believed to be one of his children (pictured )
In August, Phillips was sighted three times in one day.
He was first seen driving an allegedly stolen bronze-colored 2003 Toyota Hilux flat-deck car on State Highway 31 in the Kāwhia area, New Zealand’s North Island.
The same day, Phillips was recognized by someone who knows him in the car park of the Bunnings Warehouse store in Te Rapa, Hamilton.
Phillips was captured on CCTV with his head and face completely covered by a hat, reading glasses and a mask.
He reportedly paid cash for headlamps, batteries, seedlings, buckets and rubber boots.
His children were not with him.
Less than three hours later, the Phillips ute allegedly got into an altercation with another motorist in Kawhia Rd, near the small west coast settlement.
While the ute involved in the incident was eventually found abandoned by police, Phillips had managed to escape.
In August, Phillips was seen driving an allegedly stolen bronze-coloured 2003 Toyota Hilux flat-deck car on State Highway 31 in the Kāwhia area, on New Zealand’s North Island.
That same day, CCTV footage captured Phillips with his head and face completely covered by a hat, reading glasses and a mask in Bunnings
In May last year, two armed people entered an ANZ bank in Te Kūiti, demanding cash before fleeing on a black motorcycle.
Police linked Phillips to the robbery months later, charging him with aggravated robbery, aggravated battery and unlawful possession of a firearm.
‘While we cannot comment on speculation about any help or support Phillips may receive, or on rumors surrounding the Te Kūiti bank robbery and who the possible accomplice might be, we have previously confirmed that Phillips is the suspect in the attempted robbery burglary in the Piopio supermarket. store,” Detective Saunders said.
He added, “The investigative team working on this case has one focus: bringing Ember, Maverick and Jayda home.”
Police have previously said they believe Phillips is receiving help from community members.
The father and his three young children first went missing on September 11, 2021.
Police and emergency services, along with hundreds of volunteers and locals, spent days searching for the family after his ute was found below the high tide mark on Kiritehere Beach with waves crashing against it.
Mr Phillips’ gray Toyota Hilux (pictured) was discovered abandoned in the surf at Kiritehere Beach (pictured below) in September 2021 before he and the three children reappeared 18 days later
Police and emergency services, along with hundreds of volunteers and locals, spent days searching for the family after his ute was found below the high tide line at Kiritehere Beach (pictured) with waves crashing into it
Family and the local community feared the worst.
But 18 days later, Phillips and the children returned to the family farm with relatives and revealed they had spent time in a tent in dense bushland to ‘clear his head’.
He was accused of wasting police time and resources.
But less than three months later they disappeared again, with the last sighting of the father and his three children on December 9, 2021.
On January 12, 2022, Phillips failed to show up for his court appearance on charges of causing a wasteful use of police personnel and resources, with his absence leading to a warrant for his arrest.
Police warned the public that Philips is probably armed and should not be approached.
Anyone with any information is asked to come forward.
