Police checkpoints set up around Marokopa as Tom Phillips search ...

Police have set up checkpoints around the rural town of Marokopa in the search for fugitive Tom Phillips and his three children.

At least four checkpoints are in place at intersections outside the Waikato township and a police command centre has been set up at the local community centre.

At one checkpoint, 11km from Marokopa, police were stopping all motorists and checking their driver licenses.

Police have set up a command post at the community centre in Marokopa, with enough food and equipment to give the impression they plan to be there for a few days.

Police said earlier today they had received emails, calls and visits after offering an $80,000 reward for information on Phillips and his three children, Ember, 8, Maverick, 9, and Jayda, 10.

The family has been on the run since December 2021, and police believe they are in the western Waikato or near Marokopa.

The reward was offered for information which led to the family’s location and safe return.

Police said all of the information received overnight was being assessed and followed up.

The Police Eagle helicopter was deployed in the Marokopa area last night as part of the operation.

Residents were told to expect an increased police presence over the next few days.

Acting Detective Inspector Andy Saunders told RNZ the reward was aimed at people they believed had been helping Phillips to hide.

“This is targeted at those people with direct information as to the whereabouts of the children.”

Police were also offering the possibility of immunity from prosecution to anyone with information.

“The important aspect of this is the safe return of the children, that’s our main focus,” Saunders said.

He said police believed the family were in a dwelling, rather than living rough, but hadn’t been able to find them over the past two-and-a-half years despite several sightings and a number of locations of interest being identified.

Ōtorohanga’s Mayor Max Baxter told RNZhe was hopeful this would be enough for someone helping the family to come forward.

“$80,000 is a lot of money for anybody who’s living out at Marokopa. In fact, $80,000 is a lot of money for anybody. I’m hoping the reward is enough to change the attitude of those people that may be withholding information.”

The general consensus in the community was that somebody must be assisting Phillips, Baxter said.

“Marokopa itself doesn’t need to be identified for this reason alone, so let’s just hope people put their hand up and come forward now,” he said.

Maryana Garcia is a multimedia reporter based in Hamilton, covering Waikato stories of national interest. She travelled to Marokopa for this report.