For nearly four years, New Zealand has been gripped by the strange and heartbreaking disappearance of Tom Phillips and his three children.
Now, in a twist that has reignited public attention, new CCTV footage has surfaced showing what police believe to be Phillips and one of his children breaking into a convenience store in the dead of night.
The Chilling Footage
The video, captured just after 2 a.m. on Wednesday in the small North Island town of Piopio, shows two figures forcing their way into a shop before fleeing on a quad bike.
Investigators say they made off with grocery items.
Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders told reporters on Friday that police are “confident” the footage shows Phillips alongside one of his missing children.
This is the clearest lead authorities have had in years, and it comes after Phillips allegedly tried but failed to raid the very same store back in November 2023.
A Case That Shook the Nation
The saga began in December 2021, when Phillips vanished with his children—Ember, Maverick, and Jayda—shortly after losing a custody battle to their mother.
What started as a family dispute soon escalated into one of New Zealand’s most infamous manhunts.
Over the years, Phillips has been linked to increasingly serious crimes, including a violent armed bank robbery in Te Kūiti in 2023.
Police accuse him of carrying out the raid with another armed accomplice, who escaped on a motorbike.
Charges against Phillips now include aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Living Off-Grid and Out of Reach
For authorities, one of the most puzzling aspects of the case is how Phillips has managed to survive with his children off-grid for so long.
Police suspect he’s had help, but this recent burglary has raised new questions—has he fallen out with those assisting him, or is he simply confident enough to keep committing crimes under the cover of night?
The last confirmed sighting came in October 2024, when a group of teenagers hunting pigs stumbled upon Phillips and his children.
They managed to film the encounter before the family vanished once again into the wilderness.
The Children at the Heart of It All
While the manhunt continues, police stress that their top concern remains the children.
Saunders reminded the public: “At the heart of this are three children who have been away from their home for four years.
Their well-being is our main focus.”
Authorities believe the children have been living without formal schooling or contact with the outside world.
A nationwide reward of 80,000 New Zealand dollars was even offered for information leading to their safe return, but it expired last year without a single successful lead.
A Family’s Desperate Pleas
Back home, Phillips’ family has begged him to bring the children back.
His mother has issued repeated appeals through local media, expressing her heartbreak.
“Tom—I feel really sad that you thought you had to do this, not considering how much we love you and can support you,” she said.
In a separate message directly to the children, she added: “Jayda, Maverick, Ember, I love you so much and really miss being part of your lives every day I wake up.
I hope that today will be the day that you will come home.”
What Happens Next?
With the new CCTV evidence now in public hands, police are hopeful someone will recognize Phillips or provide information on where he’s hiding.
But after four years of near misses, failed leads, and unanswered questions, the case remains a painful reminder of just how difficult it can be to bring a fugitive—and three innocent children—back home.
