CCTV footage appears to show fugitive father Tom Phillips breaking into a convenience store with one of his three missing children. Police say they are confident in identifying Phillips from the chilling new footage captured at a North Island store.
This marks the first confirmed sighting of Phillips in approximately one year. The father has been on the run with his three children for nearly four years after disappearing into New Zealand's wilderness.
Police investigation update
Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders confirmed police confidence in the identification from the security footage. The incident involved alleged breaking and entering plus theft from the convenience store in a small North Island town.
The footage represents a significant development in the long-running missing persons case. Authorities have been conducting extensive search efforts throughout the four-year period since Phillips and his children first went missing.
Ongoing concerns
The case has raised ongoing child welfare concerns as the three children remain separated from other family members. Police continue their investigation into this latest incident while maintaining efforts to locate Phillips and ensure the children's safety.
The breaking and entering incident adds new criminal allegations to the existing missing persons case. Authorities are expected to intensify their search efforts following this confirmed sighting.
Sources used: "Daily Mail", "BBC", "Guardian" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
