Residents Shred More Than 1,500 Pounds of Documents During Free Safety Event

PALM COAST, Fla. – Residents took advantage of a free shredding opportunity Saturday, safely disposing of more than 1,500 pounds of documents while taking a simple but important step toward protecting themselves from identity theft and fraud.

The shredding service, offered as part of a community safety expo, drew a steady stream of residents carrying boxes, bags and containers filled with old financial records and other paperwork containing personal information.

“Today, probably around 1,500 pounds,” Ultra Shred Technologies operator Joseph Reid said when asked how much had already been collected. “We’ve been getting constant people coming.”

Among them was Donna Calvani, who arrived with documents she knew shouldn’t be tossed into the household garbage or recycling.

“I had some papers that are… shouldn’t just go in the garbage into recycling, so I decided to come use the service,” Calvani said.

For Calvani, securely disposing of old records has been a long time coming.

“Very, very important,” she said of safeguarding personal information. “That’s why they’ve been in buckets in my house because we haven’t shredded them yet.”

Although she wasn’t able to bring everything Saturday, Calvani said having access to the free service was “unbelievably helpful,” particularly because shredding large quantities of documents can be expensive.

Vera DiBitetto, owner of Mezzaluna Pizzeria, has made the free shredding opportunity a regular stop.

“Every time they do this, I’m here,” DiBitetto said. “There’s no other place to do it. And it’s expensive.”

Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said properly destroying documents containing personal information remains an important crime-prevention measure, even as more financial transactions and records move online.

“It’s critical, so we want people to come to these events,” Staly said.

Simply placing sensitive paperwork in the trash can provide criminals with information they can use to assume someone else’s identity, he warned.

“Somebody could, if you just throw it in the trash, somebody could find that material, and next thing you know, they have become you,” Staly said. “They have stolen your identity.”

Staly said stolen information can also be used in more elaborate schemes.

He encouraged residents to shred documents containing Social Security numbers, phone numbers, financial information, debit card details or other identifying information rather than simply throwing them away.

“Just don’t throw it in the trash,” Staly said.

The need to protect personal information extends well beyond paper records. Staly said fraud and scams are an increasing concern for law enforcement as criminals develop new ways to target victims.

“In today’s environment, fraud and scams is critically important to protect yourself because there’s so many different variations,” he said. “That’s why we have a cybercrimes unit. It’s the fastest growing unit in the sheriff’s office, because of what is occurring and the type of investigation that we have to do.”

For those who still have boxes of old documents waiting to be destroyed, another free opportunity is ahead. Staly said shredding will again be offered during the Sheriff’s Office Senior Expo in September.

“It’s a way to help prevent crime and make sure everybody’s identity does not get stolen,” he said.