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EXCLUSIVE Secret way New Zealand dad on the run may have hid with his three kidnapped children for THREE YEARS: Bushtracker details theory The area where Tom Phillips vanished is famous for caves Kiwi dad disappeared with his three children in 2021 Do you know more? Email [email protected] By Charlotte Karp In Marokopa For Daily Mail Australia Published: 19:39 EDT, 20 October 2024 | Updated: 19:39 EDT, 20 October 2024 e-mail View comments A father who has been on the run with his kids for three years may have evaded law enforcement by hiding in a network of caves dotted around the New Zealand wilderness.
Tom Phillips disappeared with Jayda, 11, Maverick, nine, and Ember, eight, near his parents' property in Marokopa, south of Auckland, in December 2021 following a custody battle with their mother, Cat. There were grave fears for the children's lives until the evening of October 3 when a group of teenage pig hunters filmed them them walking along private property, only a few kilometres from where they went missing. They were all dressed in camouflage and carrying large backpacks.
By the time police arrived on the scene the following morning, it was too late. Phillips and his children had again vanished into the expanse of rugged hills and overgrown forest sprawled across the Waikato region. Private investigator Chris Budge told local media that he himself had joined the search for the family, but was struck by the sheer number of places they could have hidden, including networks of caves, which Phillips would be familiar with.
Professional bushtracker Jake Cassar told Daily Mail Australia there are a range of methods and technologies police could use to track the family down, but hiding in caves would be an effective way for Phillips to evade technology. Tom Phillips (pictured), disappeared with Jayda, 11, Maverick, 9, and Ember, 8, from the New Zealand town of Marokopa in December 2021 Jayda (right, now 11, Maverick (centre), 9, and Ember (left), 8, disappeared from the New Zealand town of Marokopa three years ago 'Finding people is like a needle in a haystack,' he said. 'A lot of the forest would be impenetrable for drones and motion detections, from a cave it would be impossible to see them from the air, so it could be very difficult.
' Read More Insiders reveal how a fugitive father has managed to survive in the wilderness with three kids The Waikato region is famous for caves, many of which are on the tourist track, as they feature glow worms. But only locals know about the natural grottos scattered through the forest and around the cliffs at beaches. Some would only be useful in low tide, but the enclaves up around the mountains would provide ample shelter in wet weather.
Along with infrared drones and motion detectors, Mr Cassar said police could use sniffer dogs and professional trackers who understand what to look for in missing persons cases. Dogs were initially used to search for the Phillips family, but they lost the scent - possibly because it took police too long to arrive on the scene. Mr Cassar said scent trails can fade quickly, if the surface is hard rock or grass.
Professional Australian bushtracker Jake Cassar (pictured) said caves would be an easy way to evade modern search technologies Caves and enclaves are littered around the beaches and forests of the Waikato region (pictured) Phillips may have sought refuse from the weather in caves, like the one pictured in the Waikato region - near where he went missing Bushtracker Jake Cassar said drones and motion detectors would not be able to find the Phillips family idf they were hiding in caves, like the one above in the Waikato region Like all the locals who spoke with Daily Mail Australia, Mr Cassar believes it's likely Phillips has received help from others . 'Sometimes in situation like these, individuals can hold a bit of "bloke hero" status to other people,' he said. 'Before you know it, they're a bit like a bushranger.
' He said it would be very possible to thrive off the land for years , if Phillips knows how to make sure the kids are getting their macronutrients from edible weeds and other plants, alongside a diet featuring a variety of meats and organs. Those living in the area said finding food in the wild wouldn't be difficult because there's an abundance of wild boars, livestock, and possums. However, staying warm in the freezing conditions and keeping out of sight would be nearly impossible without help.
'It rained a lot over the last few weeks and they've survived two winters - it doesn't matter how good at bushcraft you are, you can't get away from the cold and the wet like that with three small kids,' one man previously told Daily Mail Australia. Phillips and his kids had not been seen for three years before they were spotted on the west coast of New Zealand (pictured) on October 3 The children's mother, Catherine, is desperate to see her children again after three years 'People must be helping him.' The teenage pig hunter who spotted the family initially thought they were poachers, so they filmed the group as they walked over the hills.
They told a girl, whose face was covered with a mask, that the property was private. She said: 'Yeah..
.duh. The teen then asked: 'Does anyone know you're on here?' She said: 'No, just you guys.
' An $80,000 reward was offered for information that could locate the three children, but it expired after eight weeks with no result. The official search was called off after a few days. New Zealand Share or comment on this article: Secret way New Zealand dad on the run may have hid with his three kidnapped children for THREE YEARS: Bushtracker details theory e-mail Add comment.
