Fugitive dad ‘The Bushman’ on the run in wild with three kids is being HELPED by locals who think he is ‘Robin Hood’

A FUGITIVE dada dubbed 'The Bushman' and his pack of 3 kids evaded seizure for the past 3 years and could beryllium getting assistance by sympathetic locals who deliberation he's "Robin Hood".

Tom Phillips, 38, and this 3 kids Jayda, 11, Maverick, 9, and Ember, 8, person been connected the tally successful the New Zealand bush since 2021.

Footage of the pack dressed successful camo cogwheel and carrying ample rucksacks precocious emerged, aft pig hunters captured their movements.

The sighting past week was the archetypal clip each 3 children person been seen since they archetypal disappeared.

Police successful New Zealand person attempted to find the father-of-three aggregate times implicit the past 30 months but the adept bushman managed to flight each time.

Now suspicions person begun to swirl that sympathetic locals person been helping Tom and his kids evade capture.

Private researcher Chris Budge told the Daily Mail: "What I deliberation has been happening is that Tom has a small spot of a web of radical who deliberation he's Robin Hood.

Budge, a erstwhile subject policeman, has visited the country connected his ain inaugural connected fractional a twelve occasions and spent much than 2 weeks successful the bush searching for the household utilizing thermal imaging equipment.

He said: "The girls are present heading into their teenage years and they are going to request stuff.

"I don't judge that's going to beryllium each happening successful the bush.

"I don't deliberation he's conscionable a kidnapper but I deliberation helium has taken his kids due to the fact that helium wants to support clasp of them and there's astir apt a spot of Stockholm Syndrome, a spot of brainwashing, wherever helium is telling them, 'If we spell backmost you'll beryllium taken distant from maine and I'll ne'er ever spot you again'."

Budge adds: 'I deliberation the lone 2 oregon 3 ways that it volition extremity is if idiosyncratic is successful occupation with the constabulary and they usage their cognition of Phillips arsenic a bargaining chip.

"Secondly, they get accidentally seen similar they person been past week or, thirdly, 1 of the kids gets sick.

"I don't deliberation Tom would fto 1 of his kids die."

Earlier this week, the parent of the 3 missing children revealed her ain heartbreaking theory aft the pack were spotted.

Cat judge that idiosyncratic successful the assemblage has been helping her ex-husband and children enactment hidden.

She said:  "One 100 per cent idiosyncratic is helping them.

"Somebody is supplying them oregon conscionable inadvertently leaving things successful an accessible place."

An affectional Cat told Mata Reporters that she believed the little speech was a hopeless plea from Jayda.

She said: "Is that a outcry for help? Is that 'Does anybody cognize that we're here? Is anyone coming for us?'

"We don't get to perceive the code of her dependable but to me, that's what I think.

'It's similar she's trying to accidental thing without really saying thing due to the fact that her begetter is close there, and she's disquieted if she says the incorrect happening and words it the incorrect way.

"She's disquieted astir aboriginal repercussions."

The sighting marked the archetypal clip Cat had seen immoderate footage of her children successful astir 3 years and was relieved to spot them alive.

She added: "It was truly good, they’re carrying their ain gear, it’s the best news that anybody could anticipation for.

"I can’t ideate what they’ve endured successful these 3 years, it’s conscionable incorrect connected truthful galore levels."

TIMELINE OF HIS DISAPPEARANCE

Separated from his woman for respective years, Tom had reportedly been awarded custody of the children, whom helium was home-schooling.

Full details of the couple's home arrangements person not been published due to the fact that successful New Zealand it is prohibited to study connected household court proceedings.

In September 2021, the dada and his 3 kids vanished for the archetypal clip aft his motortruck was recovered abandoned astatine a beach.

When they appeared soon afterwards helium said they were connected a camping trip.

Phillips had been owed to look in court charged with wasting police resources but failed to bash so.

In December 2021 the dada and the 3 kids disappeared for the 2nd clip - ne'er to reappear again.

Phillips was spotted successful the farming town of Te Kuit past twelvemonth erstwhile helium robbed a slope astatine gunpoint earlier fleeing successful a stolen motorcycle alongside a child.

A period later, successful August, helium was seen speeding successful a stolen Toyota Hilux.

He was caught connected CCTV successful November with a child, trying to interruption into a store successful Piopio.

Earlier this period helium was reportedly seen successful Okoroire Hot Springs Hotel successful Ōtorohanga but helium managed to fly earlier constabulary arrived.

Concerns are increasing implicit the authorities of the 3 children who person not seen their mum since 2021.