Police are seeking sightings of a Honda 50cc motocross bike, a black Suzuki 200cc trojan, Honda XR 200cc (not pictured), Honda 2008 Four Trax Quad and any historical sightings of a bronze coloured Toyota Hilux ute in connection with Tom Phillips. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Police are going door-to-door in their search for fugitive father Tom Phillips, after confirmed sightings of him in Waikato last week.
Inspector Will Loughrin says officers are in the Pomarangi, Te Anga and Marokopa Road areas, speaking with residents.
He says police are also searching for three motorbikes and a quad bike connected to the case.
Loughrin asked anyone who may have seen the bikes, or bike trails in the bush, to contact police.
The bikes are a Honda 50cc motocross bike, a black Suzuki 200cc trojan bike, Honda XR 200cc bike, Honda 2008 Four Trax Quad.
Police are seeking sightings of a Honda XR 200cc in connection with Tom Phillips. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
"We are urging anyone who may have any information, no matter how small, to please come forward to police.
"Please call 111 and quote file number 211218/5611."
"The community can expect to see an increased Police presence in the wider Marokopa and south-west Waikato area while we continue to search for the family."
Police asked for people to continue to report historical sightings of the ute.
On Monday Loughrin appealed for locals to report any thefts from properties or vehicles, including fuel, food and other supplies.
A photo of Tom Phillips and his children supplied by police in February 2022. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police
Recent sightings of Phillips
Tom Phillips and his three children Jayda, 10, Maverick, 8, and Ember, 7 were reported missing from Marokopa by family on 18 January 2022. It was not the first time Phillips had taken the children and disappeared.
On Wednesday 2 August, Phillips was seen several times by Waikato locals - the first confirmed sightings of him since early last year. His children were not with him.
A photo of a man police believe is Phillips, seen at Bunnings in Te Rapa about 4pm on Wednesday, showed him wearing a white beanie, a surgical mask covering his face, glasses and a blue jacket.
He was also spotted at a Bunnings on Kahikatea Drive in Hamilton South on Wednesday afternoon.
On Wednesday evening, Phillips was involved in an altercation in Kāwhia.
A stolen 2003 bronze-coloured Toyota Hilux flat-deck ute driven by Phillips was seen in Pokuru near Te Awamutu, in Te Rapa, and in Kāwhia on three separate occasions on Wednesday. It has since been recovered by police.
An image taken at Bunnings in Te Rapa, Hamilton, on Wednesday 2 August 2023, of the man police believe is Tom Phillips wearing a white beanie, a surgical mask and glasses. Photo: Supplied / NZ Police