The Attorney General of Delaware wants to shred your documents

And he is making it easy to do.

Named Operation Delaware Shred, the idea is to help protect you from identity theft. It is possible for people to go through garbage and recycling to find information that may put your identity at risk.

A press release from Attorney General Carl C. Danberg and the Consumer Protection Unit of the Delaware Department of Justice lists three dates when you can bring up to 2 file storage boxes of sensitive documents to be run through a commercial shredder.

The dates and locations are:

January 14, 2006 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Riverfront Parking Lot in front of the Blue Rocks Stadium in Wilmington

January 21, 2006 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Delaware Federal Credit Union at the Blue Hen Corporate Center (655 South Bay Road, Dover)

January 28, 2006 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
Delaware Federal Credit Union at 80 Christiana Road (Route 273) in New Castle

The types of documents that they mention to bring include such things as "credit card statements, financial statements, pre-approved credit card offers, old IRS tax forms, bank checks and household bills." You should proceed with caution when getting rid of some of these documents. It can be helpful to maintain some history of your past financial dealings.

The Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General's Office has more information on identity theft, and an Identity Theft Victim Kit to help you create written proof for your bank and creditors and others, if you have been the victim of Identity theft.