Personal information found in trash

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) - Hundreds of personal documents from dozens of people were all found in a very public place, but how did they get there and who's at risk?

The court files were found in a Bernalillo County Recycling Center in Tijeras and contained people's criminal histories, depositions and even medical records.

The files are from the Walz and Associates Law Firm.

"We want to make sure they don't get into anybody's hands that could maybe use it for identity theft," said Kim McKibben Director of Bernalillo County's Solid Waste Division.

Her office was called out to investigate when a passerby reported the incident to KRQE News 13. McKibben called in the Sheriff's Office because the files contained people's phone numbers, addresses and even medical records.

"They did determine that the age and origin of these documents did not need further investigation," explained McKibben.

Authorities say the documents, even though they contain private information, are all public record, so technically it's not illegal for them to be out in the open. That's because the were all part of public court cases.

So how did they end up in a place where anyone can see them?

Investigators say the files belonged to a lawyer who recently died and someone was cleaning out his office. Instead of following proper procedure and shredding the papers, they were just tossed in the trash.

It's a big no no, but it's not criminal.

County officials say this is a lesson people can learn from.

"Anyone that finds anything like this needs to report it immediately so no one else can get their hands on it," McKibben added.

She also says the documents, most of which dated back to the early 1990's, were so old investigators wouldn't be able to prosecute the person who put them there even if it was illegal.

The county removed all of the files from the recycling center and plans to shred them all just to be safe.