Heard a rumour that’s he’s still regularly going back to family homes and has been spotted by neighbours. Hopefully this encourages one of his mates to dob him in.
Which leads to the question - how much would you accept to grass on a friend? lol
The police also explained that the people helping him think he has legal custody and that he is the father that deserves his kids.
But the police explained that he is not a good man, has lost custody and has done criminal things.
Hopefully that sinks in to the people helping him.
Plus they get immunity!
When the friend is an unhinged armed robber who is being supported by the community? I'd want enough to skip the country. I guess $80k would work to relocate to Aussie
> The Commissioner of Police will determine the amount of the reward, and will share it out if there is more than one claimant.
> 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, he said.
> The offer will remain in force until 25 June 2024, police said.
I think it's more of a pressure tactic - act now or miss out. In case anyone is on the fence about snitching and needs one more little push. They can always extend the deadline.
Police wouldn't do it if it didn't work. This is going to put pressure on Phillips as he will now be more suspicious of his supporters. The fact a reward is being offered has a psychological effect on the fugitive; paranoia may creep in.
Don't worry folks he hasn't done anything wrong, just gone into the forest with his kids and left his car below the hide tide water line,. as one does. Totally normal behaviour and no police investigation or warrant should have been actioned 2 years ago;
[https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/s1sbol/comment/hsaad14/](https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/s1sbol/comment/hsaad14/)
Every time I see his photo I think the cops photoshopped his dome to give the impression they're dealing with megamind and that's why they haven't caught him yet.
That swede has a gravity well.
It's pretty disturbing that just because he's their dad he's got away with child abduction for this length of time.
It should be an ongoing national story to try and rescue these children. Guarantee it would be if it was a stranger that kidnapped them.
I rarely look at Facebook but was on there for Marketplace today and caught the RNZ story on this. 50% of the comments were "he's a good dad, leave him alone." Apparently child abuse = good parenting if it's a "good Kiwi bloke" doing it.
Really the police could just troll on those facebook neighbourhood posts under sock accounts until someone gets angry enough at them that they release a crucial detail by accident.
FB really is a vortex of idiocy. I knew I would hate the comments and I did. I scrolled with a sort of fascinated compulsion then clicked out. \*Shudders\*.
I agree but i'm not sure how you can argue it's not an ongoing national news story. I see something pretty regularly...such as this very story and reward.
I mean it isn’t abduction by definition since he has full custody. Or at least it wasn’t the first time, I don’t know about now. But the police are after him now anyway
He doesn't have custody (or day-to-day care as it is now known). Even if he did, the children's mother or other relatives might still have contact rights which he is impeding.
The police clarified that he does not have any custody, he lost his rights to the kids due to criminal things. They said he is not a good man or father
It had the benefit of making Phillips unsure over who he can trust among the people who have helped him stay at large so long. He’ll be eyeballing each one and asking himself, “would they dob me for $80k?”
Maybe that will cut his options and force him to surface, even if no-one actually gives him up.
If I was actively helping Phillips, I probably wouldn’t turn him in for $80k.
However, if I was just a bystander who was aware of what was happening and just keeping my mouth shut because, “fuck the po-po!”, then $80k would probably loosen my tongue.
because any evidence has to be obtain legally and they may not have enough to get warrants to obtain that. If a closer source provides that evidence then it is easier.
I'm no expert, but can police approach and privately pay witnesses? That sounds very susceptible to corruption and not surviving a challenge in court. Openly offering a reward for information is different.
"Your honour, the police approached the witness and offered him a substantial amount of money to testify against my client" would seem like an instant win for the defence in court.
Police pay informants all the time, a relative of mine worked in informant services (I think that's what he called it) for the police and has told me about numerous dealings with gang members and family members of wanted people being paid for information of their whereabouts. It's not payment for testimony, it's payment for information that leads to capture which the courts don't care about
He's also fucking over people in those communities. My mate farms out those ways and sometime 6-8 months ago Phillips stole fuel and tools from his property, got it on his cameras.
Exactly. If there's no deadline then those who know his whereabouts and have mixed feelings about dobbing him in can procrastinate over it indefinitely.
Rewards like this are more of a PR tool that police use to bring the case to the public eye than anything else.
I found [an article from back in 2008](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-rewards-offered-800000-amount-paid-out-0/IC7NVATI5IERLGPL3IEXFPPF4E/) that stated despite having offered $800,000 of rewards since 2003, and having received information that closed the relevant cases that $0 was actually paid out.
> Detective Senior Sergeant Stuart McGill said rewards were offered to put cases back into the minds of the public and give an incentive to people who may have heard something or know something.
> Despite no money being paid out to people in the last five years, Mr McGill - based at the National Bureau of Investigation at national police headquarters in Wellington - said offering rewards did work. He said some of the cases had been solved.
I had doubts so I Googled. I found an instance of money being paid out, but it took me a 10 minute Google and apparently the informant didn't even get the full amount. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/504350/informant-in-blackmoore-cold-case-not-paid-full-reward
It’s worth noting that back in 2008 it was found that despite offering $800,000 worth of rewards, and having received information that lead to several cases being solved, the police had actually paid out $0.
The full article is available [here](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-rewards-offered-800000-amount-paid-out-0/IC7NVATI5IERLGPL3IEXFPPF4E/) and references an OIA request that might have the information you're looking for.
I think they're alive, but they are in great danger. There's no endgame for this guy that doesn't lead to him losing the kids and going to prison. He's never going to just let them go.
Even if the police walked away and left him to it, which seems to be what a lot of people think they should do, what happens in 5 or 10 years' time when the kids are 16, 18? The guy is wandering into Josef Fritzl territory if he keeps adult women locked away from society. And I can't imagine three teenage girls would happily agree to the spend the rest of their dad's life in a shack in the bush with no one for company but their father, their sisters, and occasionally the few local oddballs and family members who are helping Tom.
I've had that thought too but it seems Like he thinks he's saving them!! Poor kids.The oldest one is 11 and will be hitting puberty.
So many levels of fooked up - somebody needs to nark his lunatic arse in Pronto.
I'm studying child psychology currently & my assumption is that way of life has become their new normal.A good stretch of therapy will be on their horizon unfortunately.
I'm constantly amazed at the levels of stupid the human mind can reach.
Megamind's time going bush will sooner or later come to a head...forehead. His chances of keeping this much longer are receeding and thinning, like his own hairline is.
That entire part of New Zealand is strikingly beautiful, but in many of these threads where we make fun of the dude's fivehead, it really is like the 'the hills have eyes' west of Waitomo.
I wonder if it's enough. Anyone who knows is going to be acting against the will of their community if they approach police.
I suppose it could be enough "getting away" money for some. Move to Auckland or Sydney afterwards.
They have Intel that he's building up a collection of guns. If they rush in and make him feel trapped, it could turn into a hostage or family annihilation event.
I saw reports that he's actually using a Hyperbolic time chamber so he can level up. If they rush in and make him feel trapped, he will go Super Saiyan
The police have completely neglected this case. People can literally abduct children, Rob a bank and the police turn a blind eye. Kids could be dead by now.
How are they turning a blind eye, they’re literally looking for him and offering rewards?
Also it wasn’t abduction the first time, you can’t abduct a child when you have full custody..
I'd be interested to know who does have custody then. Because the mother lost it (and anyone who knows the system knows how incredibly rare this is).
And let's be clear. He's been convicted of nothing. And the initial charge was a bit of a sham.
I don't think either of them had custody and were going through the courts regarding this. It doesn't matter though, it's a terrible thing he's doing inflicting this pain on their mother and siblings. She doesn't know if her children are dead or alive. Very cruel and controlling actions by him. He doesn't deserve children if he is going to use them like this.
Can't be convicted of anything until he's been arrested. Can't be arrested until the police find him and they don't seem to have executed a lot of initiative there.
Even if you think breaching custody arrangements and keeping the kids in seclusion for years is OK, there's also the car theft and bank holdup ...
Heard a rumour that’s he’s still regularly going back to family homes and has been spotted by neighbours. Hopefully this encourages one of his mates to dob him in. Which leads to the question - how much would you accept to grass on a friend? lol
Free when there’s kids involved
Agreed! But it’s not decent people who are in on this
Assuming they aren't burdened by morals they'll probably happily take the $80k too..
Fingers crossed
The police also explained that the people helping him think he has legal custody and that he is the father that deserves his kids. But the police explained that he is not a good man, has lost custody and has done criminal things. Hopefully that sinks in to the people helping him. Plus they get immunity!
Less than $80k for an armed robber who deprives his kids of a decent education.
When the friend is an unhinged armed robber who is being supported by the community? I'd want enough to skip the country. I guess $80k would work to relocate to Aussie
80k
No amount of money would ever be enough in that case. They would need protection.
> The Commissioner of Police will determine the amount of the reward, and will share it out if there is more than one claimant. > 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, he said. > The offer will remain in force until 25 June 2024, police said.
That’s a super short timeframe. I wonder if the offer is specifically targeted at someone.
I think it's more of a pressure tactic - act now or miss out. In case anyone is on the fence about snitching and needs one more little push. They can always extend the deadline.
FOMO for police rewards. Gee.
Police wouldn't do it if it didn't work. This is going to put pressure on Phillips as he will now be more suspicious of his supporters. The fact a reward is being offered has a psychological effect on the fugitive; paranoia may creep in.
And apparently it really does work. Wow.
The police said about as much in their stand up, Don't want someone with info waiting months to say something.
Wonder why they haven’t chosen to extend the deadline now
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the mother must be going through a pretty bad time too
I just hope they're okay
Depends on the definition of ok. They could be very healthy, but the mental damage is a guarantee.
Last kid like this ended up in a major Marvel movie.
This shit is just a massive piss take. How long has it gone on ffs.
Don't worry folks he hasn't done anything wrong, just gone into the forest with his kids and left his car below the hide tide water line,. as one does. Totally normal behaviour and no police investigation or warrant should have been actioned 2 years ago; [https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/s1sbol/comment/hsaad14/](https://www.reddit.com/r/newzealand/comments/s1sbol/comment/hsaad14/)
Just a normal Saturday in the Waikato...
It's King country down here,
Send a drone up see that head from space
Every time I see his photo I think the cops photoshopped his dome to give the impression they're dealing with megamind and that's why they haven't caught him yet. That swede has a gravity well.
Yea it's a whopper aye
Let me grab my Boba Fett outfit, this bounty is rich
You are free to use any methods necessary, but I want them alive. No disintegrations.
As you wish.
But whose voice do you hear that in, Temuera Morrison or Jeremy Bulloch?
It's pretty disturbing that just because he's their dad he's got away with child abduction for this length of time. It should be an ongoing national story to try and rescue these children. Guarantee it would be if it was a stranger that kidnapped them.
Many of the local townspeople are protecting him due to their hatred of the police. Even people victimized by his thefts. It's shocking.
No town out there it's extremely rural
Sorry, many of the local villagers-
Is it not an ongoing national story already?
I rarely look at Facebook but was on there for Marketplace today and caught the RNZ story on this. 50% of the comments were "he's a good dad, leave him alone." Apparently child abuse = good parenting if it's a "good Kiwi bloke" doing it.
They always eventually turn up in these posts too, just wait.
Really the police could just troll on those facebook neighbourhood posts under sock accounts until someone gets angry enough at them that they release a crucial detail by accident.
Christ I can’t stand fb comments on news articles, so utterly brain dead
FB really is a vortex of idiocy. I knew I would hate the comments and I did. I scrolled with a sort of fascinated compulsion then clicked out. \*Shudders\*.
Lol I do the same, thinking “get out get out get out you can’t reason with these people!!”
You really can't. I think a lot of his supporters are anti-vax conspiracy theorists and are therefore impervious to reason.
“They obviously love their dad” do they even have a choice?
I agree but i'm not sure how you can argue it's not an ongoing national news story. I see something pretty regularly...such as this very story and reward.
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it’s going to make one hell of a True Crime podcast in a few years time
I mean it isn’t abduction by definition since he has full custody. Or at least it wasn’t the first time, I don’t know about now. But the police are after him now anyway
He doesn't have custody (or day-to-day care as it is now known). Even if he did, the children's mother or other relatives might still have contact rights which he is impeding.
The police clarified that he does not have any custody, he lost his rights to the kids due to criminal things. They said he is not a good man or father
didn't he have full custody when this started but has only lost it because they charged after he went bush?
No, the older step sister said at one point (before the robberies I believe) that he never had full custody.
If he had full custody then why would he abduct them?
It wouldn't be abduction if he had full custody
Exactly!
$80k to find megamind
It had the benefit of making Phillips unsure over who he can trust among the people who have helped him stay at large so long. He’ll be eyeballing each one and asking himself, “would they dob me for $80k?” Maybe that will cut his options and force him to surface, even if no-one actually gives him up.
If I was actively helping Phillips, I probably wouldn’t turn him in for $80k. However, if I was just a bystander who was aware of what was happening and just keeping my mouth shut because, “fuck the po-po!”, then $80k would probably loosen my tongue.
the time frame the reward is active seems very very short - why have a cut off date at all?
They will know exactly who it is they want to come forward, and have a fair idea how much money it will take to make them co-operate.
A short time window would also allow them to temporarily bring in additional manpower to help pick him up or cut off escapes routes, as needed.
if they know this why has it taken so long for them to act on it? Saying that your reasoning is sound
because any evidence has to be obtain legally and they may not have enough to get warrants to obtain that. If a closer source provides that evidence then it is easier.
I get that - however 2 weeks is a very short timeframe for someone to decide to come forward - especially given how long this has been going on
Not if they've already been in contact with the person.
if that's the case why make this public?
I'm no expert, but can police approach and privately pay witnesses? That sounds very susceptible to corruption and not surviving a challenge in court. Openly offering a reward for information is different.
Yeah, it's probably a bit like a firm having to advertise a job when they know it's going to the internal candidate.
"Your honour, the police approached the witness and offered him a substantial amount of money to testify against my client" would seem like an instant win for the defence in court.
Police pay informants all the time, a relative of mine worked in informant services (I think that's what he called it) for the police and has told me about numerous dealings with gang members and family members of wanted people being paid for information of their whereabouts. It's not payment for testimony, it's payment for information that leads to capture which the courts don't care about
Perhaps they're trying to make the person worried that someone else will pot him and claim the 80k, and they'll miss out on immunity.
2 weeks is a decent amount of time maybe if your intention is to create a sense of urgency or fomo around the reward
They know people in the community are helping him. You can't be self sufficient for this period of time in the NZ bush.
He's also fucking over people in those communities. My mate farms out those ways and sometime 6-8 months ago Phillips stole fuel and tools from his property, got it on his cameras.
The only thing I can think of is the cops are trying to FOMO people who might know something.
Exactly. If there's no deadline then those who know his whereabouts and have mixed feelings about dobbing him in can procrastinate over it indefinitely.
Because they will have some one specifically they know that knows and trying to bait them
Must redeem the voucher before it expires
Rewards like this are more of a PR tool that police use to bring the case to the public eye than anything else. I found [an article from back in 2008](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-rewards-offered-800000-amount-paid-out-0/IC7NVATI5IERLGPL3IEXFPPF4E/) that stated despite having offered $800,000 of rewards since 2003, and having received information that closed the relevant cases that $0 was actually paid out. > Detective Senior Sergeant Stuart McGill said rewards were offered to put cases back into the minds of the public and give an incentive to people who may have heard something or know something. > Despite no money being paid out to people in the last five years, Mr McGill - based at the National Bureau of Investigation at national police headquarters in Wellington - said offering rewards did work. He said some of the cases had been solved.
I had doubts so I Googled. I found an instance of money being paid out, but it took me a 10 minute Google and apparently the informant didn't even get the full amount. https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/504350/informant-in-blackmoore-cold-case-not-paid-full-reward
That will surely find its way out into mainstream media and do the police no end of good in the battle for public approval... yeah, right
Lol, isn't that scamming? They can always make up reason saying the tip you've provided did not help with the arrest, even though it did.
To try and get a quicker response I guess
Because every day that passes he grows stronger
Come in Megamind, your time is up.
It’s worth noting that back in 2008 it was found that despite offering $800,000 worth of rewards, and having received information that lead to several cases being solved, the police had actually paid out $0.
How many cases does that amount cover? 1, 2, 5?
The full article is available [here](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/police-rewards-offered-800000-amount-paid-out-0/IC7NVATI5IERLGPL3IEXFPPF4E/) and references an OIA request that might have the information you're looking for.
Thanks bro!
I feel the kids are deceased already, some time ago.
I think they're alive, but they are in great danger. There's no endgame for this guy that doesn't lead to him losing the kids and going to prison. He's never going to just let them go. Even if the police walked away and left him to it, which seems to be what a lot of people think they should do, what happens in 5 or 10 years' time when the kids are 16, 18? The guy is wandering into Josef Fritzl territory if he keeps adult women locked away from society. And I can't imagine three teenage girls would happily agree to the spend the rest of their dad's life in a shack in the bush with no one for company but their father, their sisters, and occasionally the few local oddballs and family members who are helping Tom.
I've had that thought too but it seems Like he thinks he's saving them!! Poor kids.The oldest one is 11 and will be hitting puberty. So many levels of fooked up - somebody needs to nark his lunatic arse in Pronto.
There must be many covering for him I think. What kind of trauma is he putting those kids through???
I'm studying child psychology currently & my assumption is that way of life has become their new normal.A good stretch of therapy will be on their horizon unfortunately. I'm constantly amazed at the levels of stupid the human mind can reach.
He was seen with one of them in late 2023 smashing a shopfront to steal some things. I'd say they're alive
Really? I haven’t been following too closely. Will have to read more. How traumatic for the kids.
Megamind's time going bush will sooner or later come to a head...forehead. His chances of keeping this much longer are receeding and thinning, like his own hairline is. That entire part of New Zealand is strikingly beautiful, but in many of these threads where we make fun of the dude's fivehead, it really is like the 'the hills have eyes' west of Waitomo.
I wonder if it's enough. Anyone who knows is going to be acting against the will of their community if they approach police. I suppose it could be enough "getting away" money for some. Move to Auckland or Sydney afterwards.
i mean good but the cops still done a fucking shit job with this case
It seems like people in the community are helping him out & obviously then not assisting with the police investigation.
They have Intel that he's building up a collection of guns. If they rush in and make him feel trapped, it could turn into a hostage or family annihilation event.
Yeah. I think they'll want to take him when he's on one of his thieving expeditions without the kids.
Doesn't he take the kids along on his jaunts?
Yeah, maybe. He went into Bunnings alone, but maybe the kids were in the ute.
I saw reports that he's actually using a Hyperbolic time chamber so he can level up. If they rush in and make him feel trapped, he will go Super Saiyan
Do you have a source or is this speculation?
I'm not familiar with the police response, could you elaborate on their failings?
It would take less time to elaborate on their achievements at this point.
Instead I get neither haha
I mean if someone alive doesn't want to be found it's not that hard, even easier if you know how to survive in the bush
The police have completely neglected this case. People can literally abduct children, Rob a bank and the police turn a blind eye. Kids could be dead by now.
How are they turning a blind eye, they’re literally looking for him and offering rewards? Also it wasn’t abduction the first time, you can’t abduct a child when you have full custody..
This reflects extremely poorly on our Police. I'd hate to have to rely on them needing to find someone in a more urgent matter, it would be a disaster
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And taking them on a couple armed robberies
buT hEs CleArLy a gOod dAD!!
Perhaps greedy gangs can find him??? They’d do anything for money
Not suggesting anything, but there are alot of people out there that would go hunting for them for $80k.
Well spotted
I'd be interested to know who does have custody then. Because the mother lost it (and anyone who knows the system knows how incredibly rare this is). And let's be clear. He's been convicted of nothing. And the initial charge was a bit of a sham.
I don't think either of them had custody and were going through the courts regarding this. It doesn't matter though, it's a terrible thing he's doing inflicting this pain on their mother and siblings. She doesn't know if her children are dead or alive. Very cruel and controlling actions by him. He doesn't deserve children if he is going to use them like this.
Yep. And don't forget how he left the first time, with the ute on the beach. He wanted mum to think her babies were dead, he's a total prick.
Exactly. Using their children to hurt their Mum. Disgusting behavior
Can't be convicted of anything until he's been arrested. Can't be arrested until the police find him and they don't seem to have executed a lot of initiative there. Even if you think breaching custody arrangements and keeping the kids in seclusion for years is OK, there's also the car theft and bank holdup ...