23 September
Inspector Will Loughrin, Waikato West Area Commander
Police have tonight arrested a 27-year-old Cambridge man for altering a
document with intent to deceive after he edited a text message to
inaccurately state he had returned a positive COVID-19 test result.
Yesterday, the man allegedly edited an official text message informing him he had returned a negative COVID-19 test
result to read that he had returned a positive test result.
The man then contacted a number of people informing them he had returned a
positive test result.
Police were made aware of the incident last night after one of these
concerned individuals reported it to Police.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed the individual undertook a COVID-19 test on September 20, which returned a negative
test result on September 22.
This is extremely disappointing behaviour that has caused unnecessary
distress for a number of people in the Cambridge community.
The man is due to appear in the Hamilton District Court tomorrow.