A PERSON has been shot dead by police in the area of New Zealand where famous fugitive Tom Phillips is thought to be hiding with his three kids.

Police were called to a burglary, and this led to a confrontation in which an officer was also shot.

Police remained at the scene in Waitomo, in western Waikato early Monday morning.

The identity of the man who died has not been confirmed - though it is near to where Phillips was believed to have been caught on CCTV robbing a shop last week.

Phillips disappeared into the wild almost four years ago, and has evaded capture despite an intense ongoing search and numerous sightings.

Phillips was last spotted last week on CCTV robbing a shop before making off on a quadbike.

A police officer was shot before another officer opened fire and sho

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