RNZ
Tom Phillips and his three children have been missing for a year.
Police are investigating a possible sighting of missing father of three Tom Phillips on the west coast of 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.
NZ POLICE
The brown/bronze 2003 Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute that Tom Phillips was possibly seen in.
Inspector Will Loughrin said in a statement that the children were not with him.
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He 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.
Police have previously said the missing family could be anywhere in the country, and might be using fake names.
Loughrin is urging anyone who may have any information, no matter how small, to call police on 111 quote file number 211218/5611.
