Police have issued an arrest warrant for Tom Phillips after he was linked to a bank robbery in Te Kūiti in May. Photo: Supplied / Police
The mayor of Ōtorohanga says new charges against fugitive Tom Phillips will change the community's perception of the case.
A warrant has been issued for Phillips' arrest after he was linked to a bank robbery in Te Kūiti in May.
Phillips has been charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Phillips and his three children Jayda, 10, Maverick, 8, and Ember, 7 were reported missing from Marokopa by family on 18 January 2022.
"The charges that the police are laying are very, very serious charges" - Max Baxter
Otorohanga mayor Max Baxter told Morning Report he was concerned Phillips had still not been found.
Two people, one believed to be Tom Phillips, fled the May bank robbery on a black, farm-style motorbike. Photo: Supplied / Police
"Tom has his reasons why he's gone into isolation with his children ... he's the only one that knows the answer to that and now we're talking about endangering people and firing shots at bank workers and that's not a good look and this has got to come to an end straight away."
Baxter said local residents were hyper-vigilant, keeping an eye out for Phillips as was evident by the reports that police received of sightings of him at the beginning of August.
But there were obviously some people who knew of Phillips' whereabouts, he said.
Baxter said Phillips should hand himself in to police.
"The plea would be to anyone who has committed a robbery of this scale, please hand yourself in now, this is getting beyond where it's been in the past, this is getting really, really serious.
"So Tom if you are listening please come forward, these charges are serious, your kids' wellbeing is paramount, time to come out."
Members of the community had voiced an ongoing concern for the welfare of Phillips' children, he said.
"The conversation always goes back to 'I hope the kids' welfare is fine, they're being looked after and there's nothing to indicate otherwise, but usually the story goes back to how the kids are feeling."
But Baxter said it was not a stable situation if someone who was in charge of children was committing bank robberies.
Phillips reported missing in January 2022
When Phillips was reported missing in January 2022, it was the second time he had taken the children and disappeared, with his disappearance in September 2021 sparking an extensive search.
Police earlier said Phillips' second disappearance breached a parenting order and there was a warrant out for his arrest after he failed to appear in court in relation to their first disappearance in September 2021.
A number of sightings of Phillips driving a stolen ute were reported to police in August 2023, the ute was later found in Te Anga, south of Kāwhia.
In mid-August police said Phillips may have set up a campsite after a man they believed to be him was sighted at a Bunnings in Hamilton South on 2 August.
Police are due to brief the media on the latest information relating to their search for Phillips at 10am this morning.
They are urging anyone who sees Phillips not to approach him directly but to report it to police by calling 111 and quoting file number 230516/7295 or via a dedicated email address - op.curly@police.govt.nz.