November 13th, 2009
County offers free document shredding through Saturday

SUBMITTED REPORT

Hays County is offering residents and business owners the opportunity to have their sensitive documents shredded, free of charge, to help protect them from becoming victims of identity theft.

The County, working with Cintas Document Management of Buda, will accept and shred boxes of personal papers at several locations and times around the county in November.

Identity theft occurs when a criminal gains access to your identifying information, such as a name, address, social security number or credit card number and uses that information for fraudulent purposes – stealing money from bank accounts, opening credit accounts or applying for loans. Victims of identity theft can spend considerable time and money clearing up their credit record.

“Start sorting through your household or business papers that have names, addresses and other information that could be used to steal identities, box them up, and bring them to one of our shredding locations,” said Ron Knott, director of Maintenance for Hays County. “Don’t make sensitive information available to potential thieves by throwing those documents out in the trash.”

Documents from individuals and businesses will be accepted; clips and brads should be removed as large plastic and metal pieces cannot be shredded. Regular staples can go through the shredder. The shredded documents will then be recycled by Cintas, keeping them out of landfill.

Shredding will be available to the public on Friday, November 13, from 8 a.m. to Noon at the County Courthouse in San Marcos (drop off at the inlet on eastbound Hopkins Street/RR 12 or take advantage of free parking around the Courthouse) and on Saturday, November 14, from 8-10:30 a.m. at the Precinct 3 Office, 114306 RR 12 in Wimberley; from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the Precinct 4 Office, 195 Roger Hanks Parkway in Dripping Springs and from 2-4:30 p.m. at Lowes Home Improvement parking lot, 5753 Kyle Parkway in Kyle.