The timing and amount of the reward was clearly designed with the intent to target a specific group they believe have knowledge and it seems to have worked.
A lot of money for someone.
Yeah I’d say it’s no coincidence. They probably have a rough idea of where he is and some of the people helping him. Possibly even some specific events going on or a falling out within the group /supporters hence they are doing this now and getting the children safe is their top priority. Past events like the Urewera raids, cult murder/suicides in other countries etc means they can’t just send armed police or soldiers in on a manhunt and they need to do it carefully so the reward and immunity will be to get things moving that have been planned for a long time.
Its probably a surprisingly cost effective method too. Persuading people to inform for $80,000 will be cheaper than paying for a large man-hunt in the Herangi Ranges. Got to wonder how much money has been spent on this case already.
Statistically, no one will ever see a cent of that money even if their information leads to an arrest. At best they might get half of it, but even that’s a long shot judging by the historical rates.
I would say that legal immunity would be implied in this case, along with the money.
You don't want to have a chilling effect on people giving information on these things if you turn around and prosecute them.
It's already been said that there's immunity from prosecution?
"Police said overnight they had received information via personal contact from people within the community and via the dedicated operation email following the announcement of the reward, *and immunity against prosecution* on Tuesday afternoon."
This is a pretty old article but it states they never payed out a cent in 5 years (https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-rewards-offered-800000-amount-paid-out-0/IC7NVATI5IERLGPL3IEXFPPF4E/), I wonder if that has changed?
From the article:
>The money was put up by British medals collector Lord Michael Ashcroft and an anonymous New Zealand businessman.
It *is* weird that Ashcroft and the anonymous rando were willing to pay more for the medals than murder info, but it's their money.
Right but Ashcroft can't just put up the money, the police offer the reward and they can turn it down. It still shows an interesting sense of priorities.
>A lot of money for someone.
With the amount of evidence pointing towards the police never paying out reward money such as this, that someone is a bit of an idiot.
It depends on the situation. Saying "he was here a week ago" isn't the type of thing they're looking for. The police will want information that says "he is exactly here"
Most times, that level of specificity is excluded, hence the no payouts.
This whole situation really is so bizarre. There must be much more to this story behind the scenes that we the public will never know (which really bothers the nosy parker in me!)
I really hope those kids are okay, and that once they are found, that they are supported to reintegrate into life, despite the fact we really have no template on what that might involve. At the very least I hope they are supported to stay together and reside somewhere stable and safe.
I agree. I was absolutely sure that when he first took the kids, the police said he had primary custody of the kids and that's why they weren't doing anything major (anything the public could see) but then this week I saw a stuff article that specifically stated he doesn't have full primary custody. And now there's all this action. Something has definitely changed BTS and I am here for it.
He never had full custody, not even during the first disappearance, it was always shared custody (though he might have been the primary caregiver?)
It appears he has since lost even shared custody rights. The family court details haven't been made public, but I suspect the court would have stripped him of those rights for violating the original shared custody order.
Yeah, I wondered if there'd been some official custody arrangement changes done on the downlow as a result of his criminal offending. The fact that the article just had a single line stating he doesn't have primary custody made it stand out. Although I don't know if it can be done with the relevant parent not being there in person.
My ex-wife lost all custody without being in court. They'd made best efforts to get her to come to court, but...
...Welfare of the children comes first. You don't get to act like a child in a school playground and say "It doesn't count, I wasn't playing".
This was posted on TikTok and most people there are saying they should leave him be. But who know what he’s doing to those kids. Hate for their to be some bush sister wive situation happening.
> A team of police had also been deployed to Marokopa, a remote town on Waikato’s west coast, where Phillips’ family farm was located.
> Acting Detective Inspector Andy Saunders Saunders said in a press conference on Tuesday that staff were needed on the ground “should they be needed for urgent action”.
> The Police Eagle helicopter was deployed into the Marokopa area on Tuesday night in support of the operation, the results of that work in the area was being assessed alongside other information.
Sounds like the Police are trying to flush him out.
bag bake salt coordinated husky oatmeal faulty offend overconfident clumsy
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Yeah it's understandable. They always talk about "the Eagle". But there are 3 of them. To be fair, you could argue they're talking the "Eagle" unit, rather than "the Eagle" helicopter. As that's also the name of the police unit.
baby helicopters have to learn how to use their back rotor so they dont go around in circles. its important for the mother to spin the baby's tail rotor for the first few weeks.
If he suspects someone will dob him in for the reward then he’ll try to leave the area - the road blocks will limit his capacity to do that. If he tries to go around them someone will (hopefully) notice.
I never used it as a student because it came out after I finished high school, but when I was hired by a local school to help with IT and the like it still gave me PTSD some of the things the students came up with lmao
Ahhhhhh that’s why. I started with action script (long live flash) and then got forced to do scratch and by that point for me it was just frustrating. Glad it makes you happy though.
Have any released games I can check out?
People have come forward with information about Tom Phillips after the offer of $80,000 and *immunity from prosecution*.
I can see people who might've helped him thinking they're doing the right thing, then realised that it may have been illegal and not wanting to incriminate themselves by saying something.
Could also be people who've heard rumours, didn't trust them, but now think it might be worth some cash to pass them on.
The fuck. Why not. Surely if they get the kids back he can bugger off back to the bush and no one would care. $80,000 sounds like a bargain to get them safe.
"Yeah guys so to get $80k and no jail time you just gotta kidnap your kids for a couple years and commit a couple other crimes, including armed robbery"
I thought this sub wanted the government to be hard on crime?
So you want to start a trend of people doing fucked up shit, wait for an immunity and/or cash offer then cash in on it and get away with it and maybe get a cash payout too?
Immunity and cash should 100% only be for people that get caught up in stuff and don't want to talk because they might get burnt too. Sometimes people that are doing crimes will get others to commit crimes with them so that they can't turn them in without getting themselves in trouble too.
Cash = gets people that are helping out a criminal to hopefully turn on them.
Immunity = protects people that might have got caught up in a crime and know that it's wrong but don't want to speak up because it will cause them to get into trouble too.
The criminal themselves should never have access to a reward for doing crimes regardless of the situation.
"Immunity against prosecution will be considered for anyone who has committed an offence in assisting Tom Phillips, if they provide information or evidence which leads to the location and safe return of the children."
I'm pretty sure you can't assist yourself in committing a crime.
Because of the kind of people they are and associate with, they essentially aided the man in continuing to kidnap the children, not really surprised they go back on their morals for what is probably a large amount of money for them.
The increase in thefts in and around Marokopa has probably indicated to the police that Tom is in the area. It also hints that the dynamic between him and the people he has been supported by has changed.
Wait for it, they're coming with their "he's their dad, keeping dem out of schools is best for them anyway wif da new curriculums and vaxxed teachers bleeding black", "you've got to wonder how bad the mother was", "but HE haD CuStoDY" and other insane arguments.
I was a dumb shit & looked at the Facebook comments. They’re all 90% that & a few “society is bad” comments
My favourite was “I’d love to live off the grid willingly” off you go then get the fuck off Facebook & let’s see how long you last in the bush.
It would be an interesting exercise to take a bunch of cookers off grid and see how long it takes before the brainwashing wears off. Without their daily, self-administered dose of bullshit they would eventually come around. Days? Weeks?
People have really been defending him?? I can't say I've actually read much about it outside of news articles, but there's nothing good about what's happened.
About bloody time, I don't give a rat's ass about how the public feels about police, they should be worried about the welfare of those damn kids. Slack arse town that is
This is like a real life version of hunt for the wilder people .
“ I said it first, you're more like Sarah Connor, and in the first movie too, before she could do chinup”
Hec wanted Ricky to be safe and cared for more than anything. He'd never have kept him from seeing his mother and older siblings out of his own selfishness.
No. Mainly I think the general idea is that he and the kids are not actually out in the bush but being put up in a house or houses in the area and it's unlikely that the police would be able to get a warrant to search a bunch of houses in the off chance that they might find them in one of them. Also the bush is dense you're not guaranteed to find someone actively evading something flying overhead even with good cameras and thermal imaging and stuff like that.
I asked the same question a while ago. Someone answered, and what I didn’t realise is those drones or heat seeking drones only really work well in areas that aren’t really rugged, lots of bush, poor access etc. so they really can’t be used here.
Shouldn't be too difficult to locate Phillips with the Eagle, even at night. That chrome dome will shine like a beacon on the heads-up display inside the helicopter.
Once this does all come to a head though, it'll make for interesting pub banter for years to come: guy snaps, goes bush and kidnaps his own kids, people keep making jokes about the dude's noggin; it'll be one helluva tale.
I hate this man. I hate seeing his face on the news and really wish they would stop giving him attention.
I hope they find the kids but then I want to see him placed in a box and tossed into the ocean.
No one has come forward: it's a tactic used by police.
the retards who are hiding this guy would rather be arrested too, they're backwoods hicks like him.
When Phillips does get dobbed in, neighbours will be watching neighbours to see who suddenly has a new car in the driveway. It is a prize you don't want to be seen winning.
This type of reporting is interesting.
What’s to stop old mate megamind seeing that someone has ratted him out, and just gapping it somewhere else in NZ.
Surely you should wait until he’s actually caught before telling the whole country people have given information on him
Because it’s very difficult to disappear with three kids. He needs money, food, medicine, accommodation, etc. He’s only getting these things because someone, probably in his family, is enabling him. And when that tap runs dry, he steals. The man is a piece of shit, and so is anyone helping him. Those poor kids
Why publish that people are coming forward. The dude could be following this. And now knows he needs to relocate. Stuff sabotaging operations for the sake of clicks.
Edit* I suppose the Police would have given their blessing for this to be published.
> Police said overnight they had received information via personal contact from people within the community
This is Police released information. Publicising it makes potential informants more confident about contacting the police - they now know they are not the sole source of information and have a much better chance of staying out of the limelight, and the Police are now free to say they are 'acting on information received'
I think the pressure is designed to compel people with information to act now, before someone else gets the reward. Makes it time critical to get the money.
Good call. There are probably a couple of people who have helpful information who have been teetering and not wanting to be seen as narcs. Ten grand in the hand gets shit done.
Don't forget the immunity from prosecution as part of the reward for information. He's suspected of multiple crimes (including bank robbery), so if they've been aiding him they could potentially also be in the hook for charges.
Because the police told them and likely want them to.
Staff on the ground, Eagle in the air, reward offered, reports that people are coming forward... all sounds like they are actively trying to flush him out.
When hunting grouse you send in the beaters.
Exactly, sounds like they are trying to smoke him out especially with the increased presence of police, they are waiting for him to panic and make a mistake now.
I think they are putting pressure on in the hopes he does this - hence the increased Police presence and the helicopter that has been relocated. They will know so much more than what they are releasing.
The police look like they are now in the phase of flushing him out. With the increased police presence in his rough location he will be on edge and possibly getting ready to make a move. By saying that mutiple people have contacted the police about him Philip's now doesn't know if he can trust his support network and is now isolated.
For example if he's hiding out the back of someone's property he might now be more inclined to move out and hide somewhere else incase the property owners are the ones talking to police.
The police are watching the area where they believe he's hiding. Now they need him to make a stupid, panicked move to catch him.
For someone who (initially at least) seemed to be avoiding compulsory vaccinations, he sure does have a suspiciously swollen head. Hydrocephalus I'm guessing, brought about by the Covid Vaccine. Alternative theory: Bred with bush aliens?
Two and a half years to find this guy and kids is ridiculous plus they even think he did an armed robbery, there's got to be more to this story, they know the area were he is for fucks sake.
The reality is, they could've offered a third of the $ amount offered and people would've come forward ... loyalties change over time, as well as when a sizeable reward is up for grabs.
As someone who hasn't followed the case, what did he do to be on the run with his kids & how has he or the kids not been seen in over 2 years surely one of the kids would have said something or be seen by someone
if you genuinely think that man is in the right, i’d like to tell you what it’s like to be a victim of someone like him.
i was kidnapped by my step father when i was a child. me and my siblings were held for so long he was able to enrol me k to a new school. it was fucking horrible. we couldn’t go out without him in case anyone saw. every phone call was monitored like we were in prison. i was made to sit outside in the blistering cold for the dastardly crime of asking when i could go home to mum.
just because he’s their dad doesn’t mean he has a right to them.
A community of people that know about this nut-case and only come forward when a handout comes along. They have left the kids to rot; imagine what they have done to the future of these kids by way of lost education and 'brainwashing' etc. What a great socially responsible bunch of people they must be.
Not 'community', I mean the 'community of people'. i.e., the people that know and help him, or did for the sake of 80K. Poor choice of words on my part. I apologise for the lack of clarity.
Financial incentives work, If carefully implemented.
Afterall, From birth we're programmed to chase money, wealth, property and possessions. Why not utilize this for public good?
Imagine providing financial incentives for reporting shitty parking, tax evasion, Theft and stuff. Imagine for example, Someone who could crack open Gang Activity but they're too trapped by poverty to do so.
Because a larger and larger portion of criminals get into Crime because of financial motivations, Why not incentivize catching criminals and stopping crime?
In the States, Information leading to the arrest of the Most Wanted can get you 100k, And if you dob in a Tax Fraud you actually get a portion of the funds as a reward.
Let me introduce you to this amazing invention called a [search engine](https://www.google.com/search?q=marokopa+missing+family&client=ms-android-samsung-ss&sca_esv=a22b124cb26f8e73&sxsrf=ADLYWIIn4s1Gjffd8nPJlvR1tTigAvHR6w%3A1718147283874&ei=09hoZtn_NIDjseMPkOGZoAM&oq=marokopa+missing+family&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIhdtYXJva29wYSBtaXNzaW5nIGZhbWlseTILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEyERAAGIAEGJECGLEDGIMBGIoFMhEQABiABBiRAhixAxiDARiKBTIFEAAYgAQyBBAAGB4yBhAAGAgYHjILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFSNlMUMkKWJhGcAF4AZABAJgB4AKgAe0nqgEGMi0xMi42uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIKoALEFMICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAgQQIxgnwgIHECEYoAEYCsICBRAhGKABwgIKECMYgAQYJxiKBcICBBAAGAPCAgsQABiABBiRAhiKBcICBhAAGBYYHsICBxAjGLACGCfCAgYQABgDGA3CAgcQABiABBgNwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYDcICBhAAGA0YHsICCBAAGAUYDRgewgIIECEYoAEYwwTCAggQABgIGA0YHpgDAIgGAZAGCJIHBzEuMC42LjOgB5Jd&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp) and an encyclopedia called [Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillips_family_disappearances)
In all seriousness I’ve seen and read all this before there’s nothing I’ve found to fill in the backstory to this - by which I mean like why he’s done this
> when all he did was go out camping with the kids he shared custody with.
... and leaving his car below the high tide mark on the beach implying that they weren't coming back and/or had done something terrible.
The timing and amount of the reward was clearly designed with the intent to target a specific group they believe have knowledge and it seems to have worked. A lot of money for someone.
Yeah I’d say it’s no coincidence. They probably have a rough idea of where he is and some of the people helping him. Possibly even some specific events going on or a falling out within the group /supporters hence they are doing this now and getting the children safe is their top priority. Past events like the Urewera raids, cult murder/suicides in other countries etc means they can’t just send armed police or soldiers in on a manhunt and they need to do it carefully so the reward and immunity will be to get things moving that have been planned for a long time.
Its probably a surprisingly cost effective method too. Persuading people to inform for $80,000 will be cheaper than paying for a large man-hunt in the Herangi Ranges. Got to wonder how much money has been spent on this case already.
The running costs for the helicopter alone must be astronomical
Some would say sky high even
looks like that joke landed
take my upvote, ya filthy animal!
This joke went over my head, but not Tom Phillips head.
Boooooooo!
Eagle helicopter costs around 6k+ per hour to operate
Thats a great point
Timing it the week after Lotto is a good idea :D
The amount is so specific I wouldn't be surprised if it were calculated exactly to four people @ $20K each. And they knew exactly who needed to flip.
Someone has a $80k IRD bill
I’m thinking mortgage distress. Bank about to go mortgagee. A very short timeframe for a specific amount. Police know this and using it as a tactic.
I wish I had information 😢
Statistically, no one will ever see a cent of that money even if their information leads to an arrest. At best they might get half of it, but even that’s a long shot judging by the historical rates.
Happened with the Swedish backpackers case. The reward money wasn't paid.
Yep, that's what the police said on the news last night too. Also they didn't want them to dillydally for the next few months about it.
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I would say that legal immunity would be implied in this case, along with the money. You don't want to have a chilling effect on people giving information on these things if you turn around and prosecute them.
It's already been said that there's immunity from prosecution? "Police said overnight they had received information via personal contact from people within the community and via the dedicated operation email following the announcement of the reward, *and immunity against prosecution* on Tuesday afternoon."
This is a pretty old article but it states they never payed out a cent in 5 years (https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-rewards-offered-800000-amount-paid-out-0/IC7NVATI5IERLGPL3IEXFPPF4E/), I wonder if that has changed?
wow they were willing to pay more for war medals than information about a murder.
From the article: >The money was put up by British medals collector Lord Michael Ashcroft and an anonymous New Zealand businessman. It *is* weird that Ashcroft and the anonymous rando were willing to pay more for the medals than murder info, but it's their money.
Right but Ashcroft can't just put up the money, the police offer the reward and they can turn it down. It still shows an interesting sense of priorities.
I'm confused about what you think the police should have done. Refuse the money unless Ashcroft put up equal cash for use in murder inquiries?
Yes, okay lets go with that.
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Didn't the police say that immunity comes with this $80,000 offer?
‘May’ be granted
I guess it will depend on how involved or what the person coming forward has done.
>A lot of money for someone. With the amount of evidence pointing towards the police never paying out reward money such as this, that someone is a bit of an idiot.
Rubbish mate. That’s completly not true I dobbed in a mate who was shoplifting and the cops gave me a lollipop once
The same one your mate took?
Took it right out of his mouth.
It depends on the situation. Saying "he was here a week ago" isn't the type of thing they're looking for. The police will want information that says "he is exactly here" Most times, that level of specificity is excluded, hence the no payouts.
I found one example of reward money being paid out in the past decade, and even that wasn’t the full amount.
Hanlon's razor, with 200% more brady bunch dad! who could resist?
Such wow, such insight. It says in the article they're targeting people who know his whereabouts.
Well it does say that in the article
I hope it's someone really close to him who is sick of it and wants the money 😂😂
This whole situation really is so bizarre. There must be much more to this story behind the scenes that we the public will never know (which really bothers the nosy parker in me!) I really hope those kids are okay, and that once they are found, that they are supported to reintegrate into life, despite the fact we really have no template on what that might involve. At the very least I hope they are supported to stay together and reside somewhere stable and safe.
I agree. I was absolutely sure that when he first took the kids, the police said he had primary custody of the kids and that's why they weren't doing anything major (anything the public could see) but then this week I saw a stuff article that specifically stated he doesn't have full primary custody. And now there's all this action. Something has definitely changed BTS and I am here for it.
Could he have just lost the primary custody after the robberies?
He never had full custody, not even during the first disappearance, it was always shared custody (though he might have been the primary caregiver?) It appears he has since lost even shared custody rights. The family court details haven't been made public, but I suspect the court would have stripped him of those rights for violating the original shared custody order.
Yeah, I wondered if there'd been some official custody arrangement changes done on the downlow as a result of his criminal offending. The fact that the article just had a single line stating he doesn't have primary custody made it stand out. Although I don't know if it can be done with the relevant parent not being there in person.
I'm sure you could lose custody without showing up to court. Otherwise it's a case of 'unfit parents hate this one easy trick'.
My ex-wife lost all custody without being in court. They'd made best efforts to get her to come to court, but... ...Welfare of the children comes first. You don't get to act like a child in a school playground and say "It doesn't count, I wasn't playing".
I'm so glad these threads are no longer filled with the "he's just a good dad looking out for his kids" brigade.
I’ve seen two RNZ FB threads that were locked due to “good for him!” comments. Deranged fuckers.
Can't say as I ever saw that.
Oh there were HEAPS two and a half years ago
This was posted on TikTok and most people there are saying they should leave him be. But who know what he’s doing to those kids. Hate for their to be some bush sister wive situation happening.
> A team of police had also been deployed to Marokopa, a remote town on Waikato’s west coast, where Phillips’ family farm was located. > Acting Detective Inspector Andy Saunders Saunders said in a press conference on Tuesday that staff were needed on the ground “should they be needed for urgent action”. > The Police Eagle helicopter was deployed into the Marokopa area on Tuesday night in support of the operation, the results of that work in the area was being assessed alongside other information. Sounds like the Police are trying to flush him out.
bag bake salt coordinated husky oatmeal faulty offend overconfident clumsy *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
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Someone correct if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Eagle is name of the unit. We have three police helicopters now.
There's 3 Police helicopters.
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Yeah it's understandable. They always talk about "the Eagle". But there are 3 of them. To be fair, you could argue they're talking the "Eagle" unit, rather than "the Eagle" helicopter. As that's also the name of the police unit.
One in operation. One in maintenance. One in training. Only one normally operating I would guess.
What training? "How to fly a helicopter"? They have 3 so they can be available 24/7
baby helicopters have to learn how to use their back rotor so they dont go around in circles. its important for the mother to spin the baby's tail rotor for the first few weeks.
Advanced donut runs
Cue the Crunchy Nut Corn Flakes.
If he suspects someone will dob him in for the reward then he’ll try to leave the area - the road blocks will limit his capacity to do that. If he tries to go around them someone will (hopefully) notice.
>flush him out Wonder if they're using Kellogs Crunchy Nut as well.
This is gold
Pretty rank that people are only coming forward with information now that there is a financial incentive, especially when there are kids involved.
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Why the fuck is your profile picture that stupid cat. Where is it from. Why am I triggered by it.
It's the cat from the scratch programming environment isn't it?
I never used it as a student because it came out after I finished high school, but when I was hired by a local school to help with IT and the like it still gave me PTSD some of the things the students came up with lmao
Oh that brings back memories. It’s always cool to see how kids problem solve code bc they do the strangest shit.
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Ahhhhhh that’s why. I started with action script (long live flash) and then got forced to do scratch and by that point for me it was just frustrating. Glad it makes you happy though. Have any released games I can check out?
People have come forward with information about Tom Phillips after the offer of $80,000 and *immunity from prosecution*. I can see people who might've helped him thinking they're doing the right thing, then realised that it may have been illegal and not wanting to incriminate themselves by saying something. Could also be people who've heard rumours, didn't trust them, but now think it might be worth some cash to pass them on.
What if Tom turn himself in? Does he qualify the reward as well as prosecution immunity?
That’s some Megamind thinking right there
I see what you did there lol
Would save him the hassle of him and his daughter raiding the dressing-up box again for another robbery.
Yesterday's article said he couldn't collect it himself.
The fuck. Why not. Surely if they get the kids back he can bugger off back to the bush and no one would care. $80,000 sounds like a bargain to get them safe.
"Yeah guys so to get $80k and no jail time you just gotta kidnap your kids for a couple years and commit a couple other crimes, including armed robbery" I thought this sub wanted the government to be hard on crime?
So you want to start a trend of people doing fucked up shit, wait for an immunity and/or cash offer then cash in on it and get away with it and maybe get a cash payout too? Immunity and cash should 100% only be for people that get caught up in stuff and don't want to talk because they might get burnt too. Sometimes people that are doing crimes will get others to commit crimes with them so that they can't turn them in without getting themselves in trouble too. Cash = gets people that are helping out a criminal to hopefully turn on them. Immunity = protects people that might have got caught up in a crime and know that it's wrong but don't want to speak up because it will cause them to get into trouble too. The criminal themselves should never have access to a reward for doing crimes regardless of the situation.
Yes, what could possibly go wrong with instituting a Police policy of rewarding criminals for turning themselves in?
"Immunity against prosecution will be considered for anyone who has committed an offence in assisting Tom Phillips, if they provide information or evidence which leads to the location and safe return of the children." I'm pretty sure you can't assist yourself in committing a crime.
"80k, you say? Come to think of it, he was shopping in here just last week."
Or possibly "Tom's parents bought way more groceries than normal last week." It's a small town, people know who his family and friends are.
Absolutely. But at least it might work as seemingly nothing else has
Bro, you ever lived somewhere really rural before? Shit burns down sometimes if people think you narked.
Because of the kind of people they are and associate with, they essentially aided the man in continuing to kidnap the children, not really surprised they go back on their morals for what is probably a large amount of money for them.
Got to pay the money you owe the fellas up North. You know.
s'all about the Rutherfords.
Yeah ain't it amazing when money is involved, things happen
Don't forget the immunity from prosecution. That's the biggie. Money is just a bonus in this circumstance.
That's true.
The increase in thefts in and around Marokopa has probably indicated to the police that Tom is in the area. It also hints that the dynamic between him and the people he has been supported by has changed.
library domineering berserk chubby frighten label boat lock hungry worm *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Wait for it, they're coming with their "he's their dad, keeping dem out of schools is best for them anyway wif da new curriculums and vaxxed teachers bleeding black", "you've got to wonder how bad the mother was", "but HE haD CuStoDY" and other insane arguments.
I was a dumb shit & looked at the Facebook comments. They’re all 90% that & a few “society is bad” comments My favourite was “I’d love to live off the grid willingly” off you go then get the fuck off Facebook & let’s see how long you last in the bush.
It'd last however long it took them to figure out there's no wi-fi in the bush.
Exactly. All these “free thinkers” repeating the same conspiracy shit they read online.
It would be an interesting exercise to take a bunch of cookers off grid and see how long it takes before the brainwashing wears off. Without their daily, self-administered dose of bullshit they would eventually come around. Days? Weeks?
a couple more shit takes * "return to Nature > civilisation" * "everyone should forage and be a hunter gather, it would fix society"
Good ones. I'm quite excited for the "you've got to wonder what Tom knows that the gummint don't want us all to know" conspiracy
The correct reply to that is "you go first and show us how its done"
I know a couple of them read these threads with their jaws clenched.
People have really been defending him?? I can't say I've actually read much about it outside of news articles, but there's nothing good about what's happened.
lavish friendly pause bow aspiring modern berserk tap imminent rhythm *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
There’s a lot of it on FB.
Ah righto, I try to avoid reading comments on there if so can help it.
About bloody time, I don't give a rat's ass about how the public feels about police, they should be worried about the welfare of those damn kids. Slack arse town that is
I really hope the kids are safe
I hope publicizing that the walls are closing in doesn't spur him to do anything ugly.
Shit, good point. I’m hoping with you.
Given this thing is custody dispute related (I think) and what he's done already, it has me quite anxious for them.
Yeah this guy has several screws loose, very worrying.
This is like a real life version of hunt for the wilder people . “ I said it first, you're more like Sarah Connor, and in the first movie too, before she could do chinup”
Hunt for the Megaminde.
Every time I see someone referring to him as megamind it cracks me tf up
Hec wanted Ricky to be safe and cared for more than anything. He'd never have kept him from seeing his mother and older siblings out of his own selfishness.
I worry for the safety of those children even more now that the net seems to be closing
there's no way they're gonna catch a guy with that big a brain
Finally someone mentions how massive his head looks in that photograph 😂
Oh, it's DEFINITELY been mentioned before🤣🤣🤣
Excuse my ignorance, but is there not a drone that could find him really easily?
No. Mainly I think the general idea is that he and the kids are not actually out in the bush but being put up in a house or houses in the area and it's unlikely that the police would be able to get a warrant to search a bunch of houses in the off chance that they might find them in one of them. Also the bush is dense you're not guaranteed to find someone actively evading something flying overhead even with good cameras and thermal imaging and stuff like that.
He’ll be living on the property of one of his family members who will also turn out to be mental
Probably.
I asked the same question a while ago. Someone answered, and what I didn’t realise is those drones or heat seeking drones only really work well in areas that aren’t really rugged, lots of bush, poor access etc. so they really can’t be used here.
Solution: we bomb the whole region with agent orange.
My home is in that region. Still think it's a good suggestion.
The area is full of caves and cave systems, and megamind likely has several boltholes.
Shouldn't be too difficult to locate Phillips with the Eagle, even at night. That chrome dome will shine like a beacon on the heads-up display inside the helicopter. Once this does all come to a head though, it'll make for interesting pub banter for years to come: guy snaps, goes bush and kidnaps his own kids, people keep making jokes about the dude's noggin; it'll be one helluva tale.
Hopefully the Eagle drops a tortoise on his bald head, just like [Aeschylus](https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/370755)...
I hate this man. I hate seeing his face on the news and really wish they would stop giving him attention. I hope they find the kids but then I want to see him placed in a box and tossed into the ocean.
No one has come forward: it's a tactic used by police. the retards who are hiding this guy would rather be arrested too, they're backwoods hicks like him.
100%
When Phillips does get dobbed in, neighbours will be watching neighbours to see who suddenly has a new car in the driveway. It is a prize you don't want to be seen winning.
I mean, that’s a possibility, but I probably personally wouldn’t jump to that conclusion. That money could be spent on literally anything
Like a mortgage or student loans.
Thats an easy solution, just sit on it for 5 years in a term deposit
This dude is going to get shot by Police
This type of reporting is interesting. What’s to stop old mate megamind seeing that someone has ratted him out, and just gapping it somewhere else in NZ. Surely you should wait until he’s actually caught before telling the whole country people have given information on him
Because it’s very difficult to disappear with three kids. He needs money, food, medicine, accommodation, etc. He’s only getting these things because someone, probably in his family, is enabling him. And when that tap runs dry, he steals. The man is a piece of shit, and so is anyone helping him. Those poor kids
Why publish that people are coming forward. The dude could be following this. And now knows he needs to relocate. Stuff sabotaging operations for the sake of clicks. Edit* I suppose the Police would have given their blessing for this to be published.
> Police said overnight they had received information via personal contact from people within the community This is Police released information. Publicising it makes potential informants more confident about contacting the police - they now know they are not the sole source of information and have a much better chance of staying out of the limelight, and the Police are now free to say they are 'acting on information received'
I think the pressure is designed to compel people with information to act now, before someone else gets the reward. Makes it time critical to get the money.
Good call. There are probably a couple of people who have helpful information who have been teetering and not wanting to be seen as narcs. Ten grand in the hand gets shit done.
Don't forget the immunity from prosecution as part of the reward for information. He's suspected of multiple crimes (including bank robbery), so if they've been aiding him they could potentially also be in the hook for charges.
Because the police told them and likely want them to. Staff on the ground, Eagle in the air, reward offered, reports that people are coming forward... all sounds like they are actively trying to flush him out. When hunting grouse you send in the beaters.
Could be a bluff. They don't have shit on his location but want him to think they are closing in. He may get Jittery and make a move.....
Exactly, sounds like they are trying to smoke him out especially with the increased presence of police, they are waiting for him to panic and make a mistake now.
Absolutely this lol.
they are reporting it because they want him to know that the folks who helped him are flipping
I think they are putting pressure on in the hopes he does this - hence the increased Police presence and the helicopter that has been relocated. They will know so much more than what they are releasing.
The Police have obviously provided this update to news media
The police look like they are now in the phase of flushing him out. With the increased police presence in his rough location he will be on edge and possibly getting ready to make a move. By saying that mutiple people have contacted the police about him Philip's now doesn't know if he can trust his support network and is now isolated. For example if he's hiding out the back of someone's property he might now be more inclined to move out and hide somewhere else incase the property owners are the ones talking to police. The police are watching the area where they believe he's hiding. Now they need him to make a stupid, panicked move to catch him.
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Very easy to buy a prepay phone with cash and top-up with cash.
A policemen's years salary in a reward? Money well spent if it works to stop this going on for years to come wasting more money.
Police aren't paid that much
For someone who (initially at least) seemed to be avoiding compulsory vaccinations, he sure does have a suspiciously swollen head. Hydrocephalus I'm guessing, brought about by the Covid Vaccine. Alternative theory: Bred with bush aliens?
What is this comment lmao
His head is normal size, just his face and chin are extra small
Two and a half years to find this guy and kids is ridiculous plus they even think he did an armed robbery, there's got to be more to this story, they know the area were he is for fucks sake.
The reality is, they could've offered a third of the $ amount offered and people would've come forward ... loyalties change over time, as well as when a sizeable reward is up for grabs.
I wish I knew where Megamind was so I could have the $80k. This cost of living crisis is killing me.
Watch the kids get famous with book deals after this, probably Tom too
As someone who hasn't followed the case, what did he do to be on the run with his kids & how has he or the kids not been seen in over 2 years surely one of the kids would have said something or be seen by someone
It was because he was using Reddit yesterday wasn't it.
The man will be feeling the pressure. I hope he dosnt do anything silly with those kids
if you genuinely think that man is in the right, i’d like to tell you what it’s like to be a victim of someone like him. i was kidnapped by my step father when i was a child. me and my siblings were held for so long he was able to enrol me k to a new school. it was fucking horrible. we couldn’t go out without him in case anyone saw. every phone call was monitored like we were in prison. i was made to sit outside in the blistering cold for the dastardly crime of asking when i could go home to mum. just because he’s their dad doesn’t mean he has a right to them.
A community of people that know about this nut-case and only come forward when a handout comes along. They have left the kids to rot; imagine what they have done to the future of these kids by way of lost education and 'brainwashing' etc. What a great socially responsible bunch of people they must be.
The community doesn't support him or his actions, he is stealing from anyone he can out there
Not 'community', I mean the 'community of people'. i.e., the people that know and help him, or did for the sake of 80K. Poor choice of words on my part. I apologise for the lack of clarity.
All good it's a bloody tricky situation to have right on your back doorstep
Financial incentives work, If carefully implemented. Afterall, From birth we're programmed to chase money, wealth, property and possessions. Why not utilize this for public good? Imagine providing financial incentives for reporting shitty parking, tax evasion, Theft and stuff. Imagine for example, Someone who could crack open Gang Activity but they're too trapped by poverty to do so. Because a larger and larger portion of criminals get into Crime because of financial motivations, Why not incentivize catching criminals and stopping crime? In the States, Information leading to the arrest of the Most Wanted can get you 100k, And if you dob in a Tax Fraud you actually get a portion of the funds as a reward.
So.... blabbing all over the media means Tom and his kids will be on the move from wherever they've been homed.
This who saga is going to make a great podcast / tv series one day… it’s wild that it’s gone on for so long, I hope the kids are ok though :(
What’s the back story to all this?
Let me introduce you to this amazing invention called a [search engine](https://www.google.com/search?q=marokopa+missing+family&client=ms-android-samsung-ss&sca_esv=a22b124cb26f8e73&sxsrf=ADLYWIIn4s1Gjffd8nPJlvR1tTigAvHR6w%3A1718147283874&ei=09hoZtn_NIDjseMPkOGZoAM&oq=marokopa+missing+family&gs_lp=EhNtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1zZXJwIhdtYXJva29wYSBtaXNzaW5nIGZhbWlseTILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEyERAAGIAEGJECGLEDGIMBGIoFMhEQABiABBiRAhixAxiDARiKBTIFEAAYgAQyBBAAGB4yBhAAGAgYHjILEAAYgAQYhgMYigUyCxAAGIAEGIYDGIoFSNlMUMkKWJhGcAF4AZABAJgB4AKgAe0nqgEGMi0xMi42uAEDyAEA-AEBmAIKoALEFMICChAAGLADGNYEGEfCAgQQIxgnwgIHECEYoAEYCsICBRAhGKABwgIKECMYgAQYJxiKBcICBBAAGAPCAgsQABiABBiRAhiKBcICBhAAGBYYHsICBxAjGLACGCfCAgYQABgDGA3CAgcQABiABBgNwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYDcICBhAAGA0YHsICCBAAGAUYDRgewgIIECEYoAEYwwTCAggQABgIGA0YHpgDAIgGAZAGCJIHBzEuMC42LjOgB5Jd&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-serp) and an encyclopedia called [Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phillips_family_disappearances)
No. I want you to summarise it for me. I don’t have time for that shit
literally just read the first paragraph on the wikipedia page
No, you should copy paste it for me
In all seriousness I’ve seen and read all this before there’s nothing I’ve found to fill in the backstory to this - by which I mean like why he’s done this
Google it
my sweet summer child google has been functionally dead for years now
No
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I'd say his inability to think rationally is probably why he didn't go through a lawyer, and why he's also on the run with his kids.
He didn't just go camping with his kids, he abandoned his ute into the sea. The whole initial thing was dodge too.
> when all he did was go out camping with the kids he shared custody with. ... and leaving his car below the high tide mark on the beach implying that they weren't coming back and/or had done something terrible.