RESIDENTS in Darwen have been urged to shred all personal documents to prevent thieves stealing their identities.

The police warning came after homeowners in the Holker Street area reported people going through their bins on Wednesday night.

Det Con Mark Oates said they were not aware that anyone's identity was being falsely used but said the possibility remained.

He said: "There have obviously been people looking through bins in that area so we urge everyone to be extra careful about what they are putting in them.

"They should avoid throwing out things that could identify them and which could be used by others, such as bank statements, bills and receipts.

"We don't know if there are any repercussions from the incident on Wednesday night at this stage because it tends to be something you don't see until further down the line."

People should shred all documents containing their name, address, date of birth and other personal details before they put them in the rubbish.

Fraudsters apply for items such as driving licences and passports by using their details, as well as accessing bank accounts.

Officers undertook a leaflet drop in the Newton Street area of Darwen earlier this year, advising people about the dangers of throwing out personal documents.