Karen Rutherford: Newshub reporter suspects search for missing Marokopa man Tom Phillips is close to wrapping up

Police don't think a letter from Tom Phillips is recent, or relevant to their search for him and his three children.

Their mother, Cat, posted the letter on social media, while begging the public to help.

Searches around Marokopa continue, with the $80,000 reward for information expiring in five days.

Newshub reporter Karen Rutherford is in Marokopa - and she says there are strong indicators an end to the search is near.

"They know who they're looking for and they know who they're targeting with this $80,000 reward. They are hoping that someone in that wider circle will cave."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Heller dup See Allen, the mother of the missing Mart
Corporate children, has broken her silence for a second time
this week, sharing a letter on social media that she
says was written to her by the father, Tom Phillips. Now,
she says the letter, which professes his love for her,
shows quote that all is not as it seems now.
Karen Rutherford is a Newshart reporter who's been closely following
this story and is with us. Now, Hey, Karen, hi, Heather,

(00:23):
do any idea why this woman's made this public.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Look, this is a private letter between two people, and
it is interesting timing. On Tuesday night, obviously, the police
issued a video of cats speaking and pleading with the
public of New Zealand to help, and then she releases
a letter which she says is from the children's father,
Tom Phillips. Now, I have spoken to police. They don't

(00:48):
believe this is a recent letter and they also don't
feel it is relevant to the current investigation. This is
in the past. It's a custody issue between two people
and that's it all started out. Sadly, it's become a
very public case here there, obviously because Tom Phillips is
accused of criminal and intent with the alleged bank robbery

(01:10):
of antiquity A and Z as well as the pups sucreer,
and he's also allegedly holding these children back from health
care and education. So that's you know, we're also taxpayers
and we're spending a lot of money on a massive
man hunt, so it becomes a matter of public interests.
But potentially this is a private matter, and this is

(01:31):
a woman who's choosing to share her dirty laundry.

Speaker 1 (01:34):
I suppose why did she lose custody of the kids?

Speaker 2 (01:38):
Look, there are issues on both sides, and I'm not
really able to go into that. We've chosen as a
news have not to go into the background because, as
I say, it is a private family thing. It only
becomes relevant when you know, search and rescue operations involve
people from all over the North Island, and criminal intent
becomes involved. So let's just say she had no custody,

(02:02):
but Tom lost his custody when he took the children
for a second time. So faults on both sides. It's
about no one's squeaky clean here.

Speaker 1 (02:11):
No, No, I can I get that impression. There are
about five days or something like that to get information
through to the cops. Do you think the cops do
you get the impression that they're closing in on him.

Speaker 2 (02:23):
They made their strongest comment yet on Friday to us
in our story where they are detectives acting detectments meant
that Andy Saulders said, Look, you know, we are working
with the family on both sides, but there are wider
family and associates who are not forthright in their information.
And that was the strongest indication yet that they have

(02:44):
a net. They know who they're looking for, and they
know who they're targeting with this eighty thousand dollars award.
They are hoping that someone in that wider circle will cave,
and they know exactly who those people are. So yes,
I believe the net is closing. Whether or not they
will have success before the five days runs out, they
may well find this the reward closes off and they

(03:05):
still haven't got what they need, but they will have
information in hand.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Karen, thank you so much. I really appreciate your time.
Karen Rutherford, News Hub Reporter. For more from Heather Duplessy
Allen Drive, listen live to news Talks. It'd be from
four pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio,