Tom Phillips and his young children remain elusive despite police searching for them for over three years. Video / Mike Scott / Corey Fleming / Jaime Lyth
Police are today at a remote coastal Waikato settlement only accessible by boat in a renewed effort to find fugitive father Tom Phillips and his three children.
Detective Inspector Andy Saunders yesterday said the fresh search had not been prompted by a new sighting but was“simply a continuation of the ongoing investigation”, which began in 2021.
In a statement to the Herald, a Waitomo District Council spokesperson said Te Maika – which is located on a peninsula and forms the southern part of the entrance to Kawhia Harbour – is “very isolated, has no permanent residents and is only accessible by boat”.
“Most of the land is owned by the Te Maika Trust ... The Te Maika peninsula also contains significant environmental features which are required to be protected and managed.”
The council said it was unclear how many dwellings and sleepouts were located on Te Maika.
Meanwhile, Te Waitere is located on the southern side of Kawhia Harbour.
“There are approximately 25 houses in Te Waitere, some of which are serviced by a small reticulated wastewater system. There is also a boat club, which holds a liquor licence and holds a number of events in the area,” Waitomo District Council said.
“This is the first time all three of the children have been sighted, which is positive information, and we know it will be reassuring for the children’s wider family,” police said at the time.
Fugitive dad Tom Phillips and his three children were spotted tramping in the Marokopa bush in October.
The sighting led to a three-day search, including the use of a military helicopter, but “nothing further of significance” was found, police said.
Before the sighting, police alleged Tom Phillips was seen on November 2, 2023, on CCTV after an attempted burglary at a Piopio store.
Security footage from the shop at about 2am showed a masked pair, believed to be Phillips and one of his children, smashing the front glass and fleeing north after the alarm was set off.
He is also accused of robbing a bank and shooting at a supermarket worker in Te Kūiti in May 2023.
