What we know (and don't) about the latest ‘phase’ of the hunt for Tom Phillips

Thursday, 13 June 2024

It’s been more than two and a half years since Tom Phillips disappeared with his three children.

During that time he’s allegedly robbed a Te Kūiti bank with a firearm and broken into a shop in Piopio - both possibly with one of the children.

With no recent updates on the search, police announced a large reward for information on Tuesday.

Immunity from prosecution was also on the cards for information that leads to the location and safe return of Jayda, Maverick, and Ember Phillips.

The children, now aged 8, 9 and 10 have been missing since December 12, 2021.

Where are they?

Police said the children were taken by their father “to a location unknown but thought to be in western Waikato within Marokopa or the surrounding areas”.

As part of this “new phase” of the investigation, a team of police had been deployed to Marokopa, which is where Phillips’ family farm is located.

There’s been speculation Phillips’ might have been under everyone’s noses this whole time, hiding on or near the family’s sprawling and hilly sheep and beef farm.

It’s 551 hectares of paddocks, native bush and caves and backs onto a large area of native forest where there are huts - the perfect place to hide out and store gear.

Asked about this at a press conference on Tuesday, Acting Detective Inspector Andy Saunders would only say police believed he was within Marokopa or the surrounding areas.

Over the years there had been “a number of locations of interest”, he said, and as a result police had decided to focus on Marokopa.

Saunders said in a press conference on Tuesday that staff were needed on the ground “should they be needed for urgent action”.

The police helicopter had been deployed around the remote town on Waikato’s west coast on Tuesday night.

Police said the results of that work was being assessed alongside other information.

There was also a number of checkpoints in the vicinity of Marokopa on Wednesday, which police said was “part of the ongoing engagement effort around the missing persons investigation”.

“Not everyone gets their news through traditional media channels, and the personal approach taken by police on the ground is part of the engagement effort.”

They would not confirm how many checkpoints there were.

Why issue a reward?

Saunders said the reward was only valid for two weeks, and was targeted at people who already had information about Phillips’ whereabouts.

Police have long held the belief the family of four were being assisted, and had been appealing to those people.

It’s not worked, so the reward - and immunity from prosecution for helping the fugitive continue to evade police - will be an incentive for them to help police.

“We are committed to finding these children and we’re willing to take the step of offering a reward if it will prove the tipping point to help people put the children’s welfare first,” Saunders said.

The reward of up to $80,000 would be paid for material information or evidence that leads to the location and safe return of the children.

Police said on Wednesday they had received information via personal contact from people within the community and via the dedicated operation email overnight following the announcement.

“All information received is now being assessed and follow-up enquiries being made.”

But it’s been more than a year since the children’s family said they were offering $10,000 for information leading to their safe return.

They created a Givealittle and raised about half of the funds, topping up the remainder themselves to offer the reward in December 2022.

The fundraising page was set up by Storm Dawson, half-sister of the Phillips’ children.

It said “We have worked closely alongside the police throughout the investigation, and completely understand the complications it would create if they were to fund a reward”.

So why now?

That, we don’t know.

“Over the last two and a half years we’ve issued a number of appeals for information. Those appeals have been to the community, to people that may be assisting Tom, to people that may know the whereabouts of the children,” Saunders said.

“We haven’t achieved the result we were hoping for and we believe now is the time to issue this award.”

Wait.

The long-running saga has included a stolen car, an alleged armed bank robbery and a store break-in and there was no reward offered for information then.

So why now?

It’s a good question.

Saunders said offering a reward was always part of an investigation technique.

“I’m not aware we’ve ever said we would never consider it”.

What are police concerned about?

The children.

“Police have concerns for the welfare of the children who have been living in isolation for the past two-and-a-half years, with no connection to others and without formal education and health care,” Saunders said.

“We want people to know these are not the actions of a good father.”

The focus was not on information that led to Phillps’ arrest, Saunders said.

“The focus is on the safe return of the children, the arrest of Tom Phillips is secondary to that.”

Police also maintained that Phillips is dangerous and likely armed. They said he should not be approached.

There was a warrant for his arrest, and he was facing charges in relation to aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding, and unlawful possession of a firearm as a result of a criminal investigation separate to the missing persons investigation.

Saunders said Phillips did not have legal custody of the children.

This was also the second instance of Phillips’ taking off, after the family first disappeared in September 2021.

They spent 17 days in Marokopa’s dense bush, but weren’t found despite an intensive police-led land, sea and air search.

He left the family home in December, and didn’t reappear for Christmas or for his court appearance – on a charge of wasting police time and resources after the first search.