New images of NZ fugitive dad's camp shed light on how they were living

A 24-pack of Jack Daniels premixed whiskey and cola sits connected apical of a pelican case, wrong a trench.

On nan ungraded level lies portion of another, crushed battalion of intoxicant - a 12-pack of Gordon's premixed gin and tonic.

Six bottles of Mammoth iced java and cocoa dishonesty scattered, adjacent to a state vessel and camping stove, each sheltered by a shelter and tarp.

These are among nan items seen successful nan 2nd batch of photos of fugitive dada Tom Phillips' campsite released by New Zealand constabulary connected Wednesday.

The images show a campsite astir 200 metres distant from wherever Tuesday's pictures were taken, crossed immoderate difficult terrain.

It was successful this area wherever 2 of Phillips' children - Maverick and Ember - were recovered connected Monday day aft nan fugitive begetter was killed successful a shootout pinch constabulary connected a distant state roadworthy southbound of Auckland.

Phillips went into hiding pinch his 3 children successful December 2021 and had been hunted by constabulary ever since.

Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Saunders said constabulary unit were moving successful steep and uneven terrain to archive grounds from nan campy scene.

"It's a very grim, dimly-lit area, surrounded by dense bush," he said.

The Phillips shelter was good covered and dry.

"We are presently looking astatine a number of items astatine nan site. Aside from nan burglaries we are now capable to nexus to Tom, it is evident that he had extracurricular help," Saunders said.

Police removed nan vehicles from nan segment of nan shootout connected Tuesday nighttime and were owed to proceed their introspection of nan area connected Wednesday and Thursday.

Speaking to reporters connected Wednesday, Saunders said sleeping bags were recovered astatine nan scene.

"Sleeping bags there, a tent, look to beryllium successful nan aforesaid sleeping area," he said.

He added he didn't judge nan tract was their main hideout.

On seeing nan latest photos, knowledgeable bushman Ngahiraka Te Riini described nan campsite arsenic "pretty average".

"It looks beautiful temporary. It doesn't look for illustration location you would walk a agelong play of time," he told Stuff.

Riini said that though nan tract looked amended than nan 1 seen successful pictures connected Tuesday, it was "nothing special".

"I mean, it's dug into nan bank, they've sewage shelter from 1 side, and past nan tile looks alright. But honestly, it looks beautiful average."

"That was astir apt 1 of nan first things I thought erstwhile I saw that campsite is that it astir apt wasn't 1 of his amended ones; he must person had different areas wherever they were amended established than that," he said.

Despite this, Riini said Phillips could person survived location for a while.

"I've seen group surviving successful little than that. I've met a fewer guys that unrecorded successful nan wood and they get by pinch less."

At nan time, Riini said, it looked much for illustration a makeshift car shed of sorts, wherever nan vehicles were stored.

Police Commissioner Richard Chambers told reporters connected Tuesday that officers were capable to find nan campsite, but were prewarned astir firearms connected nan segment erstwhile they were getting nan 2 remaining children retired safely.

Before going to nan site, Chambers said constabulary teams were told they would find astatine slightest 1 firearm and ammunition astatine nan campsite.

This has since been recovered.

This article was primitively published connected Stuff.co.nz and has been reproduced present pinch permission.