‘Saddened’ – Private investigator who helped search for Tom Phillips and his kids speaks out

A private investigator who volunteered his help to find Tom Phillips and his three children says he is “saddened” by the outcome.  

Tom Phillips, 38, was shot by police after he critically wounded another officer after being apprehended overnight.  

One of Phillips’ children was allegedly with him at the time but was unharmed. Police are searching for the two remaining Phillips’ children after the incident in western Waikato early this morning, September 8.

The injured officer was flown to Waikato Hospital in a helicopter and has undergone surgery. 

The deadly encounter happened after Phillips’ quad bike came to a stop after being road-spiked. 

Phillips disappeared into the remote Waikato bush in late 2021 with his three children, Jayda, Maverick and Ember. 

Speaking to the media in Hamilton this morning, Police Deputy Commissioner Jill Rogers says that just after 2.30am police received a call from a member of the public who said they believed they were witnessing a burglary in progress. 

Two people were seen riding on a quad bike. At about 3.20am, police laid road spikes at the intersection of Waipuna and Te Anga roads, she says. 

It is believed the other person on the quad bike was Phillips’ oldest child.

The quad bike went over the road spikes on the rural, gravel Waipuna road and came to a stop. The first attending police officer on the scene came across the quad bike and was shot at. 

“He was struck [shot] in the head and immediately fell to the ground, then took cover inside his vehicle,” Rogers says. She says the offender used a “high-powered” rifle. 

A second patrol unit arrived at the scene and shot the alleged offender, who was still armed. He died at the scene. 

Private Investigator believes Phillips was being assisted

Chris Budge, a private investigator, has worked as a volunteer on the Phillips case since March 2022.  

It came after he offered to help the children’s mother, Cat, do a private search for the children. 

Police advised against doing a volunteer search but Budge stayed behind the scenes doing his own investigation. 

“I am quite saddened at how this ending has come about. This is not what anybody wanted, let alone the police. My condolences go to the children and the family on this outcome.”  

Budge believes Phillips only eluded police because he had the help of others.  

“There could have been a bush base created or a cave that he found.” 

Budge believes custody issues were at the heart of Phillips’ disappearance.  

“Since those early days, I believe that Tom and the kids have been in some sort of structure. A shepherd’s hut, a hunter’s shack or even a hayshed. And they have received regular assistance from people who are yet to be identified.

“I hope the two children are in the structure with someone who has been assisting them, that when they hear of Tom’s demise that the children are presented to the police or member of the public, so the wider families are reunited.” 

Budge says the disappearance of Phillips and the children, and the intermittent sightings kept him committed to helping in the background.   

“I didn’t want to step on the toes of police but I’m a grandfather and I firmly believe that the role of parents, grandparents and the public is to give children the best chance in today’s challenging world.  

“I saw three kids, not being socialised and being removed from their wider family.”