Shopping list indicates Marokopa family camping out

Tom Phillips and his children Jayda, Maverick and Ember were reported missing by family.

Police say the items missing Marokopa dad Tom Phillips bought at two Waikato Bunnings stores this month suggest he and his children are camping out.

Tom was seen in the early afternoon of August 2 at Bunnings South on Kahikatea Drive where he bought equipment.

At 4pm that same afternoon he used a large amount of cash to buy more items at Bunnings in Te Rapa.

The items he bought included headlamps, batteries, seedlings, buckets and gumboots.

Tom and his children Jayda, now aged 9, Maverick, 8, and Ember, 6, have not been seen since December 9, 2021.

Police say they are following all available lines of inquiry and are continuing to ask people with new information to come forward.

“Our priority is, and has always been, working to locate Tom and the children to ensure their welfare, and we have continued to follow up on information reported to us where relevant,” police said.

“We know Tom has been sighted at retail locations across the Waikato region, but we need people to stay alert and to contact police immediately if they become suspicious.”

The public is asked not to take action but to call 111 with immediate or current information or 105 for past information that needs to be followed up, and to cite the file number 211218/5611.

Police have also set up a dedicated email address for members of the public to report any information they may have - op.curly@police.govt.nz