Please attribute to Acting Detective Inspector Andrew Saunders:

The offer of $80,00 reward for information leading to the location and safe return of Ember, Maverick and Jayda Phillips will expire in five days time, at 11.59pm on Tuesday 25 June.

The reward has been offered for a limited period of two weeks to encourage people who have credible, current information to come forward now, and not to leave it any longer.

The children have been missing since 12 December 2021, when they were taken by their father, Tom Phillips, to a location unknown but thought to be in Western Waikato within Marokopa or the surrounding areas.

In the 10 days since the reward offer was announced on Tuesday 11 June, the video on Police Facebook has been viewed 89,000 times. It’s heartening to see so many people have engaged in our appeal to locate the Phillips children.

We again urge anyone with credible, current information that will lead to the location and safe return of Ember, Maverick and Jayda to do the right thing and tell Police what you know.

During the 10 days since this phase of the operation began we’ve had over 100 new reports of information on the subject of the missing people, via phonecall, email and personal approaches offering information.

We’re continuing to assess the information and conduct follow-up enquiries.

As a result of our enquiries we have identified over 40 reports that we think are worthy of consideration and which are now being investigated further.

We cannot provide details while the investigation is ongoing, but we are committed to getting a result as soon as possible.

While Marokopa continues to be a focus for the ongoing investigation, enquiries are being caried-out in surrounding areas including Honikiwi and Otorohanga and we’re appealing for anyone who has observed suspicious behaviour in these areas in recent months to please contact Police.

You can email the dedicated email address op.curly@police.govt.nz or contact Police on 105 or online at 105.police.govt.nz clicking ‘Update Report’ and referencing file number 211218/5611.

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