Overview

• Footage from around 2 a.m. on Wednesday shows a masked man and a child spending about 13 minutes at Piopio Superette, apparently using a grinder to force entry before loading groceries onto a quad bike.
• Police say they believe the pair are Tom Phillips and one of his three children, marking the first confirmed imagery of Phillips in about a year.
• Investigators note the same store was targeted unsuccessfully in November 2023, and they are examining whether movements on local roads connect to the quad bike seen in the video.
• Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders said the priority is the children’s safety, with police open to negotiation and unwilling to risk a confrontation or deploy military units.
• Phillips, who disappeared with his children in December 2021 and is suspected of receiving outside help, faces charges including aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawful firearm possession, with links to a May 2023 ANZ bank robbery; an $80,000 reward offered in 2024 has expired.