Police Release New CCTV Footage of Fugitive Tom Phillips and Child
Piopio, NZ – Authorities have released new CCTV footage believed to show Tom Phillips, a New Zealand fugitive, and one of his children allegedly breaking into a local convenience store. Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders confirmed on Friday that the footage, recorded in the early hours of Wednesday at Piopio Superette, represents the first confirmed sighting of Phillips in a year.
The video captures a masked individual and a child attempting to breach the store’s windows using a power tool, creating sparks before loading groceries onto a quad bike and fleeing the scene after about 13 minutes. Police are urging anyone with information regarding the quad bike’s movements between Piopio and Marokopa that morning to come forward.
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Phillips, who vanished in December 2021 with his three children—now aged 12, 10, and 9—is believed to be living in the King Country bush and evading capture with outside assistance. Authorities previously linked him to a robbery at an ANZ bank in May 2023, where armed accomplices demanded cash. A warrant for his arrest is active, with Phillips facing numerous charges including aggravated robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The latest sighting prior to this video was in October 2023 when hunters recorded him and the children in remote farmland. The police’s focus remains on the children’s welfare. Family members have expressed their desire for Phillips to return, with his sister reiterating support for him earlier this month. An $80,000 reward for information on the family’s whereabouts has expired.
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"This case centers around three children who have been away from their home for four years," Saunders emphasized, highlighting the urgency of the situation.
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