Arrest warrant for Marokopa dad

[Lilith7]

An arrest warrant has been issued for Tom Philips, for alleged bank robbery. Probably time he gave himself up.


https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3009645...nk-robbery


"Missing Marokopa dad Tom Phillips has been charged with aggravated robbery in relation to a bank robbery.

Two armed people entered an ANZ bank in Te Kūiti in May, demanding cash. The pair fled on a black, farm-style motorbike.

A witness said they saw the pair “dropping money” as they ran. No one was injured in the robbery.

On Tuesday, police issued a warrant for Phillips arrest in relation to the bank robbery. He has been charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawfully possessing a firearm.

An ANZ spokesperson declined to comment due to the police investigation.

The Marokopa dad and his children Jayda, 10, Maverick, 8, and Ember, 7, were reported missing from their home on the Waikato’s west coast on January 18, 2022 and haven’t been seen since.

Police are concerned for the children’s welfare.

“We also urge people not to take action themselves as Mr Phillips potentially still has firearms in his possession,” said acting detective inspector Andrew Saunders.

Three separate confirmed sightings of the missing father of three were made in the Waikato in early August. The children were not with him.

However, it was the first credible sighting of Phillips since February 2021 and gave police fresh optimism the long-running mystery of his and his children’s disappearance would soon be resolved.

A warrant to arrest Phillips was issued when he failed to appear in Te Kūiti District Court in January 2022 on a charge of wasting police time and resources in relation to the family’s first disappearance back in September 2021."

[Oh_hunnihunni]

That photo - do you think that was his daughter riding pillion? I hope this gets sorted soon before the whole business explodes on the kids and other family.

[Lilith7]

That photo - do you think that was his daughter riding pillion? I hope this gets sorted soon before the whole business explodes on the kids and  other family.

Hard to tell but I'm guessing it could have been. It could all end very badly, its been going on for quite a long time & I think everyone would want to see it end in the best possible way & very soon.
It must be absolute hell for their other family members.

Maybe some of his mates could get together & go & try talk some sense into him, if that's possilbe.

[harm_less]

You'd want to think that the police have better identification of Tom Philips than just that CCTV photo. The impression that they're portraying Tom as badly as they can in order to shake anyone who is assisting him into betraying him does come to mind. A 4 month old unsolved bank robbery does seem a perfect opportunity to do just that.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

The whole thing is very weird...

[Zurdo]

Pillion is a bit big for a 10 year old...but who knows what he's been feeding her. I don't think they just pulled the bank robbery out of a hat...they had a look in the hat first.

[Lilith7]

Also interesting that until very recently, there hasn't been much news about this & now suddenly he's suspected of robbing a bank. Why would police decide that now's the time for publicity, to shake the apple tree & see who of his mates might fall out? I imagine they have reasons which they'd rather not mention.
We'll just have to wait & see. Poor family.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

It does seem as though this is a lot of drip feeding of dramatic episodes, via media or police. It must be very stressful for the wider family, especially if some support him and others do not. Which, knowing how families work, is only too possible.

[Lilith7]

It does seem as though this is a lot of drip feeding of dramatic episodes, via media or police. It must be very stressful for the wider family, especially if some support him and others do not. Which, knowing how families work,  is only too possible.

Extremely likely I think - poor family, it must be exhausting not knowing where the hell they are & if those kids are OK. I imagine that if they do eventually catch up with him, he might well get a prison term for taking the kids away & keeping them out of contact.

[nzoomed]

You'd want to think that the police have better identification of Tom Philips than just that CCTV photo. The impression that they're portraying Tom as badly as they can in order to shake anyone who is assisting him into betraying him does come to mind. A 4 month old unsolved bank robbery does seem a perfect opportunity to do just that.

I question the robbery too. I hadnt even heard of that robbery in the news either. And it appears the only image they have is of two people on a motorbike wearing helmets, do they have anything that can positively identify them?
Im honestly surprised they have not been able to find him. Perhaps its time to employ the team from Hunted Australia? Thats been an educational show to watch.

[Lilith7]

There's even been a suggestion that they may be living in one of the caves in the area but that's been dismissed as very unlikely by cave explorers, since it would be extremely cold.

I just wish they'd turn up safe & well.

[harm_less]

You'd want to think that the police have better identification of Tom Philips than just that CCTV photo. The impression that they're portraying Tom as badly as they can in order to shake anyone who is assisting him into betraying him does come to mind. A 4 month old unsolved bank robbery does seem a perfect opportunity to do just that.

I question the robbery too. I hadnt even heard of that robbery in the news either. And it appears the only image they have is of two people on a motorbike wearing helmets, do they have anything that can positively identify them?
Im honestly surprised they have not been able to find him. Perhaps its time to employ the team from Hunted Australia? Thats been an educational show to watch.

Surely a drone flown at night with IR camera capability would make finding him and the kids a breeze, and also suss out the best pig hunting possies.

[Lilith7]

I question the robbery too. I hadnt even heard of that robbery in the news either. And it appears the only image they have is of two people on a motorbike wearing helmets, do they have anything that can positively identify them?
Im honestly surprised they have not been able to find him. Perhaps its time to employ the team from Hunted Australia? Thats been an educational show to watch.

Surely a drone flown at night with IR camera capability would make finding him and the kids a breeze, and also suss out the best pig hunting possies.

Got to be worth a try surely, although they probably won't say if its been tried or is about to be.

[nzoomed]

I question the robbery too. I hadnt even heard of that robbery in the news either. And it appears the only image they have is of two people on a motorbike wearing helmets, do they have anything that can positively identify them?
Im honestly surprised they have not been able to find him. Perhaps its time to employ the team from Hunted Australia? Thats been an educational show to watch.

Surely a drone flown at night with IR camera capability would make finding him and the kids a breeze, and also suss out the best pig hunting possies.

I would have thought with today's drone technology and IR cameras, it should be a piece of cake to find them!

[Zurdo]

Do you have a drone ? Go and show them how it's done !

[Oh_hunnihunni]

We get a few of those things round here. Each time I see one I wish I still had a shotgun.

[Zurdo]

You would get a pizza if you did that around here.

[nzoomed]

We get a few of those things round here. Each time  I see one I wish I still had a shotgun.

Wasnt there a story recently where some farmer shot a drone that was flying over their property or something with a shotgun?
Apparently the thing was flying right by the house, looked like someone was spying on them, pretty creepy.

[Lilith7]

We get a few of those things round here. Each time  I see one I wish I still had a shotgun.

Wasnt there a story recently where some farmer shot a drone that was flying over their property or something with a shotgun?
Apparently the thing was flying right by the house, looked like someone was spying on them, pretty creepy.

I was working in the garden one day when one came over the back fence.

I gave it a special wave. It didn't hang around....

[girlgeorgina]

a number of years ago, a kid knocked on my parents door looking for his drone. it must have been a christmas present. i checked the back yard, no sign of anything. about a year later, mum was gardening amongst the bushy bits along the back fence, and discovered a rather dilapidated drone.