New Zealand fugitive seen on CCTV after four years on the run

New CCTV footage believed to show the New Zealand fugitive Tom Phillips and one of his children allegedly breaking into and stealing from a convenience store has been released by police.

- Ima Caldwell

Detective Senior Sergeant Andy Saunders told media yesterday that investigators believe the pair in the video are Phillips and one of his three children, who vanished almost four years ago. It is the first confirmed sighting of Phillips in a year.

The footage, captured in the early hours of Wednesday at Piopio Superette, a small store in the North Island, shows a masked man and child examining windows before sparks fly as they appear to cut their way in with a power tool. They then load groceries onto a quad bike and drive away.

Saunders said the pair had spent 13 minutes at the scene.

"We believe the pair in this footage are Tom and one of his children," he said. "We're appealing for information from anyone who might have seen the quad bike traveling or parked between Piopio and Marokopa in the early hours of Wednesday morning."