BRENTWOOD — Police warned the public about the need to protect their tax information and other mail following the arrest last weekend of a man who authorities said had such documents with him.
In a statement, Brentwood police said the arrest of the 35-year-old happened Saturday, after an officer spotted a vehicle stolen from Concord in the parking lot of an undisclosed apartment complex. Officers made the discovery after running down the suspect when he tried to flee, police said.
Inside the vehicle were tax documents and other items of stolen mail, police said.
“Especially during tax season, criminals are often looking for confidential and personal information that they can use to steal someone’s identity,” police said in their statement. “We would like to remind our residents to keep an eye out for anyone suspicious or loitering around mailboxes.”
Lt. Miguel Aguiar in an email said that residents can take specific steps to protect themselves. Among them:
- Use a locked mailbox when possible that can only be opened by a key, and avoid leaving mail in the mailbox for extended periods. For long weekends and other extended absences, Aguiar said a relative or neighbor should take out your mail.
- Sensitive documents such as old tax documents, financial statements and credit-card offers should be shredded before being tossed in the garbage. Identity thieves often go through the mail looking for information, Aguiar said.
- If possible, use direct deposit for any tax refund, and be vigilant about monitoring the status of your returns. Any suspicious activity should be reported to the IRS.
- Tax payments and other sensitive documents should not be sent via regular mail but rather through certified mail.
- Do not click on links asking for payments or threatening you with legal action if you don’t click on them. Aguiar said social security numbers and bank account numbers should never be given out over the phone to somebody who has called you, adding that the IRS and banks never will call asking for this information.
Other options, including the installation of security cameras and the use of identity theft protection services, also are useful, according to Aguiar
Police said the suspect they arrested also had narcotics on him and was on Post-Release Community Supervision, a form of probation for individuals released from state prison who had non-violent, non-serious and non-sexual felonies.