• Police say they believe missing Marokopa man Tom Phillips is armed and a risk to the community.
• This morning they offered a $80,000 reward for information on Phillips’ and his three missing children.
• Phillips, whose last reported sighting was in August, is believed to be aided by associates in evading capture.

Police say they believe missing Marokopa man Tom Phillips is still armed and a risk to the community and have warned locals off approaching him.

In an update to media at the Hamilton police station this afternoon, Acting Detective Inspector Andy Saunders said they still believe Phillips is somewhere in Marokopa or the surrounding area with his three children.

He reiterated that Phillips did not have custody of his children.

“These are not the actions of a good father.”

Waikato police this morning announced an $80,000 reward for useful information that will lead to the return of the children. They had also deployed a team to Marokopa as the hunt for the family enters a new phase.

Missing Marokopa man Tom Phillips and his children Jayda, Maverick and Ember. Photos / NZ Police

The search for Phillips and 10-year-old Jayda, 9-year-old Maverick and 8-year-old Ember, ramped up following a sighting of him last August. They went missing in December 2021.

Saunders said police had issued a number of appeals to the community since the quartet disappeared and they hadn’t achieved the result they hoped for so now was the time to issue the reward.

“We haven’t seen them for the last two-and-a-half years. They haven’t interacted with anyone. We’ve got concerns about their health and general welfare,” he said, of the children.

The reward was open for two weeks. Immunity would also be considered for anyone who had been helping Phillips to evade capture.

“We don’t want them waiting months and months to decide,” Saunders said. “We are giving them a two-week opportunity to come forward and tell us where the children are.”

Acting Detective Inspector Andy Saunders provides an update on the missing Marokopa family this afternoon. Photo / Mike Scott

The reward was focused on the safe return of the children, not on the arrest of Phillips, he said.

“If Phillips came forward, he would not be a recipient of the money.”

Saunders said he couldn’t speculate whether the people they have already spoken to assisted Phillips. They were targeting people who had direct knowledge of Phillips’ whereabouts.

“If people have been aiding Tom Phillps to evade capture, they may have committed an offence in doing so.”

Saunders said there hadn’t been any credible sightings of the family in the past two months.

The wider Phillips family was aware of the operation and was happy to hear a reward had been issued.

‘Committed to finding these children’

In a statement released this morning, Saunders said 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”.

He said police believe that Phillips is being assisted by other people and they’re urging those people to come forward.

Saunders said police will be visible in the Marokopa community over the coming days.

“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.

“It is hereby notified that a reward of up to $80,000 will be paid for material information or evidence which leads to the location and safe return of Jayda, Maverick and Ember Phillips.”

The Commissioner of Police will determine the amount of the reward and will apportion it if there is more than one claimant.”

Immunity against prosecution will also be considered. The offer will remain in force until June 25, 2024.

Sightings of Tom Phillips and his children.

Phillips evaded the attention of police for 19 months before he was seen shopping while wearing a disguise, stole a car and then got into a fight with a member of the public last August.

Police then linked Phillips to a bank robbery last May.

The latest incident involving Phillips saw him allegedly steal a bike with one of his children and smash a storefront on November 2 - almost two years after he and his three children disappeared.

Information can be provided to the investigation team by contacting the 105 reporting line, quoting the file number 211218/5611, or by emailing the dedicated email address [email protected].

“We wish to reiterate that Tom Phillips faces 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.

“Police consider him to be armed and he should not be approached. Sightings of Phillips should be reported to police by calling 111 immediately.”

On the Run

The search for fugitive dad Tom Phillips and his three children

September 11, 2021

Tom Phillips vanishes for the first time with his three young children Jayda, now aged 10, Maverick, now aged 9, and Ember, now aged 7, from a beach near Marokopa.

1. The discovery of his ute on the shoreline sparks a major land and sea search.

2. The quartet later return to a family farm almost three weeks later, with Phillips saying he needed timeout.

Phillips is charged with wasting police resources.

December 9, 2021

Almost a month before a scheduled court appearance, Phillips again takes his children from Marokopa.

An arrest warrant is then issued after he fails to appear before court.

May 2022

The mother of the three missing children makes a public appeal for any information which might lead to their discovery.

She also says she believes that Phillips is “getting help from someone which has allowed them to stay off the grid for the past six months”.

September 2022

Police rule out issuing a reward for any information leading to the safe return of the children and the arrest of Phillips. Soon after the children’s maternal family launch a givealittle which contributes to their own $10,000 reward.

May 16, 2023

3 Phillips allegedly robbed a bank and shot at a supermarket worker in Te Kūiti in May, prompting police to issue a warrant for his arrest on September 5.

Police charged him with aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawfully possessing a firearm over the armed heist of ANZ Te Kūiti on Rora St on May 16.

August 2, 2023

Phillips is seen driving a ute which is reported to be stolen from near Kāwhia.

4. He is seen in two different Bunnings Warehouse stores, disguising himself with glasses and a surgical facemask. He used cash to buy items, which suggested he may have set up a campsite, including headlamps, batteries, seedlings, buckets and gumboots.

5. Later that day, Phillips gets into a fight with the owner of the stolen ute in Kāwhia. The owner tries to run Phillips off the road. The owner also realises winter clothing is missing from his property.

September 2023

Police revealed they had received 14 reports of sightings of Phillips throughout September.

Detective Inspector Saunders said: “Unfortunately, none of these reported sightings of Tom Phillips or the three children have been positive.”

November 2, 2023

6. Phillips allegedly stole a quad bike from a rural Waikato property and then broke into a shop with one of his children on November 2.

Police appealed for any sightings from the public of Phillips, his children or the stolen quad bike.

7. Security footage from the Piopio shop shows the masked pair smashing the front glass and fleeing north after the alarm was set off about 2am.

June 11, 2024

Police offer $80,000 reward, immunity, for information on Tom Phillips’ children missing in Marokopa.

Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.