Police released CCTV believed to show fugitive Tom Phillips and one of his children allegedly breaking into Piopio Superette in the North Island. The footage shows a masked man and a child examining windows, sparks as they cut their way in with a power tool, loading groceries onto a quad bike and driving away after 13 minutes. Investigators believe the pair are Phillips and one of his three children who vanished from their Marokopa family farm in December 2021. Phillips lacks legal custody; police believe the family has been living in Waikato's King Country bush with outside help. Phillips faces multiple charges including aggravated robbery and unlawful firearm possession and has been linked to a May 2023 ANZ bank robbery in Te Kuiti.
The footage, captured in the early hours of Wednesday at Piopio Superette, a small store in the North Island, shows a masked man and child examining windows before sparks fly as they appear to cut their way in with a power tool. They then load groceries on to a quad bike and drive away. Saunders said the pair spent 13 minutes at the scene.
Police said Phillips and one of his children are believed to have unsuccessfully targeted the store in November 2023. Phillips disappeared with his children now aged 12, 10 and nine from their Marokopa family farm in December 2021. He does not have legal custody of the children, and police believe the family has been living in the Waikato's King Country bush and allege he has been receiving outside help with supplies and to evade discovery.
In May 2023, police linked Phillips to a robbery at an ANZ bank in Te Kuiti, where two armed people demanded cash before fleeing on a motorbike. A warrant was later issued for his arrest. He faces a string of charges, including aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawful possession of a firearm.
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