Expert explains why military can't track down missing children spotted with father in the wilderness

An expert has explained why military equipment can't be used to track down the three missing children who were recently 'spotted' with their father Thomas Callam Phillips in the wilderness.

Phillips is a fugitive in New Zealand after going missing with his three kids in 2021 - eight-year-old Jayda, six-year-old Maverick and five-year-old Ember.

It's not the first time this has happened as in September that year, the four were found 'camping in a bushland' after a police search on land and sea found them.

Philips was charged with wasting police resources and given a court date, but never showed up and disappeared with his children again.

There have reportedly been a few sightings since then, including one earlier this month, where four figures were spotted making their way through the rural North Island of the country by some pig hunters.

Authorities believe that this was a sighting of Thomas Callam Phillips and his three children (YouTube/1News)

The man believed to be Phillips was seen in camouflage gear and a long beard, while the three smaller figures behind him are thought to be the children, serving as the first proof of life of the three since their disappearance in December 2021.

Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders said in a statement: "Thursday’s sighting of Tom Phillips has opened a positive line of enquiry that’s now being looked into by the investigation team.

"Investigators received information about 7pm on Thursday that Tom had been seen in bush area west of Coutts Road in Marokopa with Jayda, Maverick and Ember. This was a credible sighting, and Police believe it was indeed Tom and his children."

Patrols began in the area on Thursday (3 October) however, authorities have not provided any updates.

The possibility of the New Zealand Special Air Service (NZSAS), the country's equivalent of Britain's SAS, helping out to find the father and his children has been suggested, but this isn't a possibility.

The search for Phillips is ongoing (New Zealand Police)

Barrister and military lawyer Grant Fletcher has weighed in on the suggestion, saying that there are strict restrictions on the armed forces when it comes to helping the government internally, according to the Commonwealth legal system.

As per Newstalk, he explained: "Obviously, there is a slightly murky area between what is a public service and what is a law enforcement role - and I think what's going to affect the decision makers in relation to this is that this is really stepping into a law enforcement role. Which is not the job of the military."

This comes after CCTV footage emerging in 2023 which suggests that the father was making his children partake in criminal acts.

A man believed to Phillips was caught smashing a window of a store in the middle of the night with a child back in 2023 (Waikato Police)

In May last year, two masked people held up a branch of ANZ bank, eventually getting away with some cash while on a motorcycle, while the police later said that Phillips was the suspect, along with a female accomplice.

According to a witness, the accomplice was small, 'even shorter than me', and both were said to be armed.

In November 2023, Phillips and a child were also suspected to have smashed the window of a shop at 2am before making their escape on a quad bike.

Phillips was also allegedly seen at various hardware stores, with police saying: "We know Tom has been sighted at retail locations across the Waikato region disguised with various masks.”

He is now wanted for aggravated robbery, aggravated wounding and unlawfully possessing a firearm on top of previous charges regarding his children.

LADbible has previously reached out to New Zealand Police for comment.