Last day for $80,000 reward for helping find Tom Phillips’ children
Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Tom Phillips and his three children remain on the run from police as an $80,000 reward offer expires.
The cash reward offered by police two weeks ago also came with immunity for anyone with information that could lead to the kids’ return.
Yet it expires at 11.59pm Tuesday - and the officer in charge of the investigation told the Waikato Times they won’t extend the offer.
Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders “absolutely” believes Phillips is being helped to avoid capture and said the reward, and offer of immunity, was aimed at anyone doing that.
He said police have received as many as 50 tips “worthy of follow-up” in the wake of announcing an $80,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of Phillips’ children.
Phillips and his children Ember, 8, Maverick, 9, and Jayda, 11, have been missing since December 12, 2021.
Police have now “identified several locations of interest in Western Waikato that we’re focusing our efforts on”, they said on Monday.
Announcing the reward two weeks ago, Saunders said police were urging anyone assisting Phillips and the children “to please stop, do the right thing and tell police what you know”.
“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 that in the two weeks since the reward was announced police had received more than 150 tips.
“We’ve gone through those, assessed, prioritised. Probably 40 to 50 that are worthy of follow-up,” he said.
“Quite a few at this stage that look good.”
He said it was one thing for a man with bush craft knowledge to remain hidden in Marokopa or the surrounding areas, but “you put three kids in tow, all under 10 when it all started”.
Police have received tips each time they have sought public assistance, but in the wake of the reward offer there had been “a lot more information than previously”, Saunders said - though “you do get some rubbish come in”.
He said they were “quite pleased with the results” so far.
“I’m hopeful, I’m always confident but it has been a long slog,” he said.
Waitomo Mayor John Robertson told the Waikato Times he was made aware of the reward offer ahead of its announcement, but hadn’t had updates since.
Asked about the mood in the community as the disappearance drags on he said “people are a little tired of it generally, the publicity”.
“It’s gone on for over two years now,” he said.
“The focus of a police inquiry, that becomes quite intense.”
He also said he had a message for Phillips: “It’s best to bring an end to this. The longer it goes on, the worse the consequences will be for Tom and the children”.
“Bring the children back into the community.”
Police have long said they have concerns for Phillips’ three children who have been living in isolation - and that Phillips “does not have legal custody of the children”.
Phillips is also facing charges of aggravated robbery in connection to a Te Kūiti bank robbery.
“Police consider him to be armed and he should not be approached,” police said.
The mother of Phillips’ children, Catherine, has also appealed for their return, issuing a video statement on June 19 - Jayda’s 11th birthday.
“Begging you for your help to bring my babies home… they do not deserve the life that is being provided for them right now,” she said.
Referencing Jayda’s birthday, she also said “she will be a young woman and needs her mother”.
Police said anyone with “credible, current” information that could lead to the children being returned can contact the 105 reporting line, quoting the file number 211218/5611, or by emailing to the dedicated email address op.curly@police.govt.nz.
Sightings of Phillips should be reported to Police by calling 111 immediately.
Information can also be provided anonymously to CrimeStoppers by calling 0800 555 111.