RNZ
Tom Phillips and his three children have been missing for a year.
Police have confirmed there were three sightings of missing father of three Tom Phillips in Waikato on Wednesday night.
Tom and his three children Jayda, Maverick and Ember were reported missing from Marokopa by family on January 18, 2022.
On Wednesday evening police received reports of sightings of Phillips in a brown/bronze 2003 Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute on State Highway 31 in the Kāwhia area.
Inspector Will Loughrin said in a press conference on Thursday the Hilux was a stolen vehicle and the children were not with him.
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Phillips was also sighted in a Bunnings in Te Rapa at 4pm and in Kāwhia about 6.45pm on Wednesday where he was in an altercation involving another vehicle.
Police were contacted and attempted to locate the vehicle, but it was not found.
Police believed there were people in the community helping him and the children, and urged those people to do the right thing and come forward.
Earlier Loughrin said police officers will be following up the sighting in Kāwhia on Thursday and speaking with locals.
“In particular, police are urgently seeking sightings of the ute.
“Our priority is, and has always been, working to locate Tom and the children to ensure their welfare, and we have continued to follow up on information reported to us where relevant.”
A warrant to arrest Phillips was issued when he failed to appear in Te Kūiti District Court in January last year on a charge of wasting police time and resources in relation to the family’s first disappearance back in September 2021.
NZ POLICE
The brown/bronze 2003 Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute that Tom Phillips was possibly seen in.
Police have previously said the missing family could be anywhere in the country, and might be using fake names.
Phillips returned to a family member’s home in the middle of the night to take supplies in February 2022.
He also didn’t have the children with him, but reassured the family they were well.
That was the last time he was seen.
Possible sighting ‘heartening’
Private investigator Chris Budge, who had previously helped the family, said the possible sighting was heartening.
“Some people were starting to worry that the children were dead, either deceased by accident or by someone’s action. I think it’s hopeful that there’s been a good sighting of Tom.
“The last sighting of him was further up north near Ōtorohanga, so it does seem that he is around that area. I do believe it’s still hopeful even though the kids were not seen. The jigsaw starts with Tom and that will lead to the kids.
“If the police have got the plates they’ll be able to track that car pretty soon.
”It’s also great that it’s a member of the public who’s contacted police after seeing Tom. I’ve always thought they are hiding in plain sight in the community. I do believe Tom loves his kids and wouldn’t want harm to come to them.”
Staying hidden
In September 2022, Loughrin wouldn’t publicly comment about why Phillips had fled, but said he was motivated to stay hidden and keep the children at his side.
“There are a lot of complexities.”
There was a matter before the family court that meant the custody status of the children could not be discussed.
He said police had spent a lot of time understanding Phillips and his background, well-aware that he was an experienced bushman and comfortable living off the grid.
Back then Loughrin urged people across the country that if something doesn’t look right, or someone’s story about how they’ve come to be there with three kids doesn’t add up, and they have a similar appearance to Tom and the kids, then police needed to hear about it.
He said children would likely not be attending school.
“But also if the public suspect that someone could be helping Tom then we would like to know.
“We strongly believe that Tom has been getting assistance from the very beginning.”
Loughrin is urging anyone who may have any information, no matter how small, to call police on 111 quote file number 211218/5611.
