A rash of garbage thefts in Oxford could be the work of identity thieves, so residents are warned to be on the lookout for suspicious persons and activity in their neighborhoods.
Between Aug. 3 and 11, a total of seven reports concerning the theft of garbage cans and their contents were filed with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department’s Oxford Township substation.
The reported thefts occurred on Sebek, Brookfield Drive and Newman Road between Aug. 3 and 4; Stanton Road on Aug. 5;Yale Drive between Aug. 4 and 5; and Inverness Drive and Queens Drive between Aug. 10 and 11.
All the thefts took place while the trash cans were roadside awaiting pickup. None of the cans or their contents have been recovered. In only one of the reports, did the victim state the can was stolen after the garbage was collected by their waste hauler.
Two other trash can thefts occurred in the township, but no reports were filed with the sheriff’s department.
A homeowner on Teelin Drive informed sheriff’s personnel their Waste Management container and its contents were stolen from the curb on Aug. 4.
A homeowner on Coats Road told this reporter her cans were stolen from the roadside between Aug. 4 and 5. However, she found her missing containers and their contents strewn in the front yards of some homes along Drahner Road Aug. 5.
Trash thefts have also been reported in the village
A report was filed with the village police regarding the Aug. 18 theft of four trash cans and their contents from a curb on Park St.
Officer Thad Lambiris said a woman on Moyer St. reported her empty trash cans were stolen Aug. 11. It’s believed a blue Chevy Cavalier with a Tennessee license plate may have been involved in this incident.
Sheriff’s Lt. Al Whitefield and Detective Ken Alderman said there are no leads as to who is stealing the cans and rubbish or for what purpose.
Six of the cans stolen in the township were issued by Waste Management, leading investigators to believe perhaps the thieves were looking to sell the receptacles back to the company. However, Alderman said Waste Management indicated it’s their policy to not buy back containers.
Whitefield and Alderman speculated it’s possible the trash thieves are looking for ‘personal information? such as names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, bank account statements, credit card receipts, any documents that provide access to private, confidential information, in order to commit ‘identity theft.?
Identity theft (or identity fraud as it’s properly called) is the wrongful use of a person’s identity to obtain credit cards, steal money from existing accounts, apply for loans and mortgages, establish accounts with utility companies, rent apartments, or obtain a job.
The homeowners on Sebek, who had both their can and garbage stolen, expressed concern the rubbish was stolen ‘to obtain their personal information for identity theft purposes,? according to the sheriff’s report.
‘The complaintants were unsure if there were any documents with their personal information in the garbage can,? the report stated.
Although sheriff’s investigators have no evidence the trash thefts are definitely the work of identity thieves, residents are cautioned to be on the lookout and report any suspicious persons/activity to the sheriff’s department.
Residents are also advised to make sure all documents containing financial or confidential information are properly and thoroughly destroyed prior to disposal.
The website www.identitytheft.org advises people to ‘buy a crosscut-type shredder? and ‘shred all important papers? before throwing them away, such as pre-approved credit offers, bank statements, investment reports, doctor bills, utility bills, credit card receipts, etc.
‘Make sure you don’t throw anything away that someone could use to become you,? according to www.identitytheft.org.