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Fugitive father-of-three and one of his children spotted years after disappearance, say police

New CCTV reveals Tom Phillips and a child breaking into a Piopio store, stealing groceries and fleeing on a quad bike, marking a significant lead after nearly four years on the run.

  • New Zealand police have released CCTV footage believed to show a fugitive father and one of his children breaking into a store and driving away on a quad bike more than three years after going missing.
  • The father, Tom Phillips, disappeared with his three children Ember, Maverick and Jayda in December 2021 after losing custody to their mother.
  • Police said Phillips faces charges including aggravated robbery and illegally possessing a firearm, and they believe he had assistance from others in evading authorities for years.
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Tom Phillips had disappeared with his children at the end of 2021. On Friday, New Zealand police announced that they had recognized him on video surveillance camera footage while he was robbing a nearby store

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Otago Daily Times broke the news in Otago, New Zealand on Thursday, August 28, 2025.
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