New CCTV footage has been released by the police, which is believed to show New Zealand fugitive Tom Phillips and one of his children breaking into a convenience store and stealing from it. Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders stated that the pair in the video are believed to be Phillips and one of his three children, who have been missing for almost four years. This is the first confirmed sighting of Phillips in a year.
The footage, captured at Piopio Superette, a small store in the North Island, shows a masked man and child examining windows before they appear to cut their way into the store using a power tool. They then load groceries onto a quad bike and drive away. Saunders also stated that the pair spent 13 minutes at the scene.
Police are appealing for information from anyone who may have seen the quad bike traveling or parked between Piopio and Marokopa in the early hours of Wednesday morning. It is believed that Phillips and one of his children had also tried to target the store in November 2023, but were unsuccessful.
Phillips and his children disappeared from their Marokopa family farm in December 2021. Police believe the family has been living in the Waikato’s King Country bush and that Phillips may have been receiving outside help to evade discovery. He is also wanted in connection with an armed robbery at an ANZ bank in Te Kūiti in May 2023.
The most recent sighting of Phillips and his children was in October 2024, when pig hunters filmed them in remote Marokopa farmland. A large land and air search was conducted but called off after three days. Phillips’ family has repeatedly appealed for him to come forward, and there is an ongoing focus on the welfare of his three children.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/29/new-zealand-fugitive-tom-phillips-cctv
