A man has been charged and will appear at Christchurch District Court later this month. Photo / George Heard
An amnesty period for fake Covid-19 vaccine passes has been extended after seven alleged forgeries were handed in to police over the last week.
It comes after a Canterbury signwriter was arrested last week when police raided his printing and graphics business.
He was due to appear at Christchurch District Court yesterday, charged with two counts of forgery, but will be back in court on February 22.
After his arrest, Canterbury Police launched an amnesty period for people to hand in fake Covid-19 vaccine passes.
During an amnesty period between last Wednesday and yesterday, Rangiora Police had seven allegedly forged Covid vaccine passes handed into the station.
"Rangiora Police appreciate all those who brought in their passes during this time," a police statement said this afternoon.
"To give the public more time to hand in any other vaccine passes believed to be forged they may have, police are extending the amnesty until Tuesday 15th February."
A North Canterbury doctor was last month caught on camera issuing fake vaccine exemptions to patients.
Dr Jonie Girouard, who runs a weight-loss clinic in Kaiapoi, is an unvaccinated GP who was captured by Newshub issuing fake certificates and coaching patients on how to get away with using them.
The Ministry of Health confirmed this month it had issued a $300 infringement notice to Girouard after finding she had breached the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Vaccination) Order 2021 by seeing patients in person without being vaccinated and without a valid exemption.
David McHaffie and his dog survived three days in the bush.