Tom Phillips’ days of leading the police on a prolonged game of hide-and-seek may be coming to an end.
Three separate confirmed sightings of the missing father of three were made in the Waikato on Wednesday.
Phillips, 36, and his three children Jayda, 10, Maverick, 8, and Ember, 7, had been reported missing from their home in Marokopa, on the Waikato’s west coast, by family on January 18, 2022.
But on Wednesday police received reports of a sighting of Phillips behind the wheel of a brown/bronze 2003 Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute on State Highway 31.
READ MORE:
* Wellbeing of missing Marokopa children huge question mark – psychologist
* People who know missing Marokopa dad hold vital information, police believe
* Marokopa family go bush again, no search initiated by police
He was heading north in the Pokuru area, near Te Awamutu, around 12.30pm.
Then, at 4pm he was spotted by someone who knew him in the car park of the Bunnings Warehouse store in Te Rapa, Hamilton.
And finally, at 6.45pm the ute he was still driving was involved in what police described as “an altercation” with another motorist on Kawhia Rd, near the small west coast settlement.
Inspector Will Loughrin said at a press conference on Thursday the Hilux had earlier been stolen. The three missing children were not with him.
The person involved in the altercation near Kawhia had immediately contacted the police, who scrambled staff, including the Auckland-based Eagle helicopter, to the area.
RNZ
Tom Phillips and his three children have been missing for a year.
The ute, however, was unable to be located.
However, it was the first credible sightings of Phillips since February 2021 and this had given police fresh optimism the long-running mystery of his and his children’s disappearance would soon be resolved.
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.
Police have previously said the missing family could be anywhere in the country, and might be using fake names.
Loughrin had a message for Phillips: “Tom, we need you to come in and speak to us and resolve this. Eighteen months is too long and the kids need to see their grandparents, their siblings, their mother, and we need to bring this to a close.”
Police believed there were people in the community helping him – “people who have shared his view” – and the children, and Loughrin urged those people to do the right thing and come forward.
Supplied/NZ Police
The brown/bronze 2003 Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute that Tom Phillips was seen in.
Loughrin said the person who had spotted Phillips in the Bunnings car park knew him well. He declined to say whether that person had confronted Phillips, other than the witness had “provided a detailed account of what occurred”.
He likewise declined to elaborate on the Kawhia Rd altercation.
Phillips was now “concealing his identity” and had changed his appearance, he said.
Loughrin said police officers would be following up the sighting in Kāwhia on Thursday and speaking with locals.
“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.
”Community support to find this vehicle as fast as we can is our best chance of finding Tom.”
What should people do if they spotted Phillips?
”Call 111,” Loughrin said.
Phillips has long proved elusive. He had returned to a family member’s home in the middle of the night to take supplies in February 2022.
He didn’t have the children with him, but reassured family members they were well.
Supplied/NZ Police
Tom Phillips was driving this stolen ute when he was spotted in the Bunnings Te Rapa car park at 4pm on Wednesday.
Possible sighting ‘heartening’
Private investigator Chris Budge, who had previously helped the family, said the news 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.”
Waitomo mayor John Robertson also weighed in on the situation.
”I think for the family it’s obviously hugely concerning and traumatic … It’s best Tom comes forward on this one. Nothing will improve with this over time.”
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.
