Possible sighting of the Dad of missing family

[Lilith7]

You have to hope that regardless of circumstances he turns up with the kids safe & well. They've been gone quite a while & it must be hell for their mum & other family.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3009424...stolen-ute

"Police have confirmed there were three sightings of missing father of three Tom Phillips in Waikato on Wednesday night.

Tom and his three children Jayda, Maverick and Ember were reported missing from Marokopa by family on January 18, 2022.

On Wednesday evening police received reports of sightings of Phillips in a brown/bronze 2003 Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute on State Highway 31 in the Kāwhia area.

Inspector Will Loughrin said in a press conference on Thursday the Hilux was a stolen vehicle and the children were not with him.

Phillips was also sighted in a Bunnings in Te Rapa at 4pm and in Kāwhia about 6.45pm on Wednesday where he was in an altercation involving another vehicle.

Police were contacted and attempted to locate the vehicle, but it was not found.

Police believed there were people in the community helping him and the children, and urged those people to do the right thing and come forward.

“Our priority is, and has always been, working to locate Tom and the children to ensure their welfare, and we have continued to follow up on information reported to us where relevant.”

A warrant to arrest Phillips was issued when he failed to appear in Te Kūiti District Court in January last year on a charge of wasting police time and resources in relation to the family’s first disappearance back in September 2021."