9NEWS and Shred-it, Inc. helped raise $82,491 for the Metro-Denver Crime Stoppers organization during the Shred-a-thon fundraiser.
All five locations contributed to some impressive fundraising totals.
- The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office location raised $18,881.53
- The Westminster Police Department location raised $19,491.64
- The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office location raised $18,338.25
- The Aurora Police Department location raised $12,131.31
At 9NEWS more than $13,648.41 was raised.
Nine million Americans become the victims of identity theft each year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Destroying paperwork with your personal information on it is the best way to protect your financial security.
"Thieves have been known to take personal information left on old documents to steal your identity and in turn, steal from you," Denver Police Det. Dave Belue said. "By shredding that information you make it harder for thieves to get at your identity."
Shred-it, Inc. shredded up to three legal-sized file boxes or kitchen sized trash bags full of sensitive documents in exchange for a donation to Metro-Denver Crime Stoppers.
Documents that you should shred include credit card offers, old tax returns, bank statements and out-of-date legal documents like divorce records. You should also shred outdated medical records, account information, cancelled checks and legal documents. During the 2011 Shred-a-thon several individuals brought old divorce or bankruptcy records. They commented how therapeutic it was to get rid of those records.
In 2011, the Shred-a-thon raised more than $56,000 for Crime Stoppers, money that supports the organizations rewards for tips program.
The Shred-it company recycles 100 percent of the documents after shredding the paper into thumbnail sized pieces. Those pieces are then bundled and shipped to a facility where they are turned into paper products like plates and towels.
All Shred-it employees are licensed and bonded, and supervised by law enforcement officers.
(KUSA-TV © 2012 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)