Mystery of ‘The Bushman’ who went off-grid with his 3 kids before going on crime spree with gun-wielding bank robberies
MYSTERY surrounds the disappearance of a dad who went off-grid with his three young children before going on a crime spree including bank robberies.
Tom Phillips, 37 and his three children Jayda, 10, Maverick, eight, and Ember, seven who have been missing for over two years, are believed to be hiding in a remote bushland in New Zealand.
Police have attempted to locate him multiple times over the past 30 months with the expert bushman managing to escape each time.
The dad and his three kids were reported missing from the village of Marokopa on January 18, 2022, when Philips left his wife and disappeared in the remote area.
Since then, Philips has been taunting police as he’s been spotted several times after committing a series of crimes – but has not been yet located.
A manhunt from police was sparked as Philips was involved in armed bank robberies, break-ins and vehicle thefts.
He is believed to have crafted a network of refuges around the family’s former home in Marokopa, The Times report.
New Zealand cops posted a £38,500 (NZ$80,000) reward last week for information about the whereabouts of the missing dad and his three children.
This week hundreds of armed officers alongside choppers scoured the backcountry around Marokopa but to no avail.
Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said: “There’s obviously not the gold nugget … of this is where he is. We haven’t got that yet.”
He added that Philips was armed and was a risk to the community who should not be approached.
He said: “We 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 healthcare.”
TIMELINE OF HIS DISAPPEARANCE
In September 2021, the dad and his three kids vanished for the first time while his truck was found abandoned at a beach.
When they appeared shortly afterwards he said they were on a camping trip.
Philips had been due to appear in court, charged with wasting police resources but he failed to do so.
In January 2022 the dad and the three kids disappeared for the second time – never to reappear again.
Philips was spotted in the farming town of Te Kuit last year when robbed a bank at gunpoint before fleeing in a stolen motorcycle alongside a child.
A month later, in August he was seen speeding in a stolen Toyota Hilux.
He was caught on CCTV footage in November with a child, trying to break into a store in Piopio.
Earlier this month he was reportedly seen in Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel in Ōtorohanga but he managed to flee before police arrived.
Concerns are growing over the state of the three children who have not seen their mum since 2021.
Police believe someone has been helping the fugitive stay hidden in Marokopa.
Anyone with any information is urged to come forward.