Secure your sensitive info: Parker Police partner to host spring Shred-A-Thon

Photo byParker Police Department

Heather Willard / NewsBreak Denver / March 29, 2023

(Parker, Colo.) The Parker Police Department, Core Electric and the Parker Senior Center are partnering together to host a document shredding event at the Parker United Methodist Church on April 15 from 9-11 a.m. — or until the truck is filled.

Officers will collect sensitive paperwork from citizen’s vehicles and destroy the items immediately on scene to keep information secure. Participants are limited to three copy paper boxes or kitchen garbage bags per person.

According to a report issued by credit bureau Experian in October 2022, Colorado was the fifth highest state for identity theft incidents reported per 100,000 residents in 2021, following only Rhode Island, Kansas and Illinois. Coloradans reported 25,720 identity thefts in 2021, according to Experian.

According to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 2021 Annual Report, identity theft/fraud reports had the third largest increase of the county’s crime category, rising 90% for a total of 2,261 false pretenses reports.

The sheriff’s office offers tips and information about identity theft and other common crimes to help keep residents informed. The office noted that identity thieves can use the fake documentation to drain bank accounts, ruin credit lines and open bank accounts in the victim’s name. Document shredding is a simple way to prevent private information from falling into thieves’ hands.

Parker United Methodist Church is located at 1805 S. Pine Dr. Event attendees will not leave their vehicles; workers will take the materials from each vehicle’s trunk or truck bed — volunteers are not allowed to enter any vehicle cabin.

The Shred-A-Thon shredders are equipped to destroy items like bank statements, bills, carbon copies, credit card offers, receipts and medical documents. It is not equipped to shred items like aluminum cans, newspapers, phone books and plastic. Documents should be free from binders or other non-paper contaminants; paperclips, staples and window envelopes are acceptable.