& Nbspemma de ruiter
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The father, who escaped with his three children and was wanted by the authorities of New Zealand for almost four years, was found and fell dead in exchange of fire with the police.
Tom Phillips disappeared with his three children aged 9, 10 and 11, when he lost the court with his former partner in December 2021.
Early morning, on Monday, the police were warned about the theft in an agricultural store in Vaikato, south of Auckland, two people on board a motorcycle with four gateways.
“Already knowing the information that Tom Phillips was in this area, the reinforcement was caused and rushed into place,” said Jill Rogers, deputy police chief of police.
The police stopped the car, putting nails on the street. After the exchange of fire.
The policeman added that “the second patrol arrived on the spot and entered the battle” with the fugitive, who was killed.
Tom Phillips was accompanied by one of his three children. The child was not injured and is in the hands of the police.
According to the official briefing, the police officer was wounded as a result of a fire and worked without a risk for his life.
Two other missing children were found unaccompanied about 13 hours after the death of his father in a remote camp in a wooded area with information provided by their brother, who fell into the hands of the police.
The mother of the children after the authorities were informed about the development, on Monday made a statement on the radio -new Zealand, in which she said that she was “deeply facilitated”, that the “test” for her children ended.
“We have not grabbed a lot every day for almost four years, and we are looking forward to the opportunity to welcome them home with love and care,” the woman said, referring to the New Zealand media only by her little name, a cat.
Phillips lost the rights of children, and after their disappearance, they did not have access to formal education or healthcare.
The authorities believe that Phillips had an accomplice
The case was shocked by public opinion in New Zealand, when the authorities made regular, unsuccessful calls for information.
The police had material from the surveillance cameras that recorded Phillips that committed theft in this area. He was wanted for the robbery of the bank when he was a fugitive since May 2023, when he accompanied one of his children, allegedly shot a citizen.
The authorities always believed that Phillips had accomplices trying to hide their family, and some residents of isolated rural areas expressed his support.
More sources • AP.