COLLIER COUNTY, Fla.- Collier County deputies are alerting the public to the latest trend in crime: Burglars are looking for driver’s licenses, birth certificates and passports so they can steal your identity.

Officers say keeping your Social Security card, birth certificate, passport, mortgage statements, bank statements, income tax documents, and other personal identification information locked securely in your home will cut down on your identity theft risk in the event a burglar breaks into your home.

Deputies recommend that residents secure any personal documents in a safe, locked drawer or safety deposit box to help stop thieves from easily getting away with their identity.

Many criminals commit the crime the old-fashioned way by looking for old bank statements or cell phone bills in your garbage, so make sure to cross-shred these documents before disposing of them.