“If they (NZSAS) were given the time and support to find him, I don’t think it would take very long.”

Rice said if NZSAS soldiers had been deployed immediately after the sighting of the four last week, Phillips would have already been captured.

He added that in the 1990s the SAS were used by police for something “very similar” to tracking devices to track down gang members carrying out cultivation operations in bush areas.

At the request of the Herald A police spokesman did not disclose what process the police would have to go through in order to enlist the help of New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) personnel in the investigation.

Police would not confirm whether they had already asked the NZDF for help, although a Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopter provided air support last week.

An NZDF spokesman said it was “ready to respond to requests from any government agency” and had a wide range of resources and expertise.

“We cannot comment on such a situation. It is best to contact the police for further information.”

Rice said the SAS soldiers were unlikely to contact or confront Phillips, only to pursue him.

“They would basically just figure out where he was and get as close as possible without him even noticing… (They would) pinpoint the location to within about a few hundred meters, and then the rest of the military would “He used to cordon off the area so he didn’t have too many escape routes while the police came in and did their job.”

Rice said there were concerns about Phillips’ mental state while he was in possession of a firearm around three children and whether he would avoid getting caught at all costs if authorities got too close.

He said Phillips and his three children appeared to have “pretty good” knowledge of the bush.

“When I saw the little video, they (Jayda, Maverick and Ember) looked pretty Bush experienced. They had no problems at all with their backpacks, they were well distributed and they didn’t stop or ask for help, so the kids obviously don’t think they need it.”

He added that this could be part of the children’s psychological state after being on the run with Phillips for nearly three years.

He said Phillips had a rifle with him, making it likely he had been hunting and possibly cooking outdoors.

“Burn marks, smoke and storage marks would have been fairly easy for the SAS unit to find if they had camped on the ground. I don’t know if there are any cave systems up there they could use.

“I don’t think it would take the boys (SAS) long. If you give them 10 days or a few weeks; If they really took their time, they could concentrate pretty quickly.”

Rice said he wasn’t particularly surprised that police haven’t caught Phillips yet.

“I admire the guy’s skills in the bush and his ability to stay undetected for three years. It’s not a huge piece of bush, but I also think it’s being helped somewhere along the way.

“If they catch him, I think it would be very interesting to hear what he has to say. Because of his capabilities and his ability to remain undetected for so long, he could actually be of use to the military.”

Speaking to the Herald this week, the mother of the three missing children, Cat, described the police response as “extremely lacking” and said “more should have been done straight away”.

“More could have been done and definitely quicker… especially knowing who they were dealing with,” she said.

“If the police are unable to find him or search for him, why can’t they bring in someone else who is better qualified to do the job, like the army… or the SAS – that’s their thing?

“I know that seems ridiculous to a lot of people, but that’s what they’re trained to do.”

Cat was touched as she spoke about getting proof that her three children – who she last saw in 2021 – were alive.

“It was overwhelming, it was incredible, it was the best.”

“I just broke down… I can’t see their faces, but I can see them walking and they’re all there and they’re able to carry their own bags.”

While the photos provided some comfort to Cat, this proved to be short-lived as police still could not find the children.

“It was like Christmas came early and I really thought they would come home this time.

“It is a confirmed sighting and yet nothing has come of it.”

Police were dispatched last Thursday evening after receiving a tip-off from teenage pig hunters that Phillips had been seen with the three children in the bush west of Coutts Road in Marokopa.

“This is the first time all three children have been sighted, which is positive information and we know it will be reassuring for the children’s entire family.”

After a three-day search, which included the use of a military helicopter, “nothing of substance” was found, according to police.

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter covering breaking news. He worked for Herald since 2022.