Authorities are greatly worried for the children, Ember, Maverick, and Jayda, who are now believed to be nine, 10, and 12 years old, respectively – as they’ve had no contact with their mother since their father failed to return them.

In November 2023, Phillips and an unnamed child were reportedly involved in breaking a shop window at 2am, followed by an escape on a stolen quad bike. Phillips has also been captured on CCTV, with his face obscured, purchasing supplies at a hardware store.

When contacted by CNN on Tuesday, New Zealand Police said there were no updates about the police investigation.

Police and local authorities believe supporters are helping Phillips to remain at large.

Rozzi Philipps told Gower that she had had no contact with her brother since he disappeared.

When asked why she chose to speak out nearly four years after her brother’s disappearance, she explained: “Hoping that maybe, just maybe, he’ll see this message, realize he can come home, and know that we’re here for him, and it might just turn out okay.”

Last year, the children’s mother, who goes by Cat, made a heart-wrenching plea for anyone with information about her children’s location to contact the police.

“They are just innocent children.”

Of Jayda, she said, “She will be a young woman now, and she needs her mother”.

“Ember suffers from asthma, as do I, and she requires medical treatment that can’t be sourced in the wild. I can only wonder how Maverick is managing,” she expressed.

“What Thomas is doing is not okay,” she said. “None of this is okay. My babies deserve better.”