In recent years identity theft has become a common crime, and one local financial institution is providing a free service to help the community combat the problem.

On Saturday, Carter County Bank will host their annual Free Community Shred Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at their Village Branch located at 800 Broad Street near Food City.

“As a financial institution, we understand the importance of handling and destroying sensitive documents in a safe and secure manner,” said Andrew McKeehan, Market President of Carter County Bank. “Carter County Bank is committed to helping this community guard against identity theft, and that’s why we continue to hold this free event every year,” McKeehan said.

According to statistics, when documents that contain sensitive information are properly destroyed the risk of identity theft dramatically decreases.

Items that will be accepted for professional shredding include bills, checks, health information, tax documents, financial statements, legal papers, invoices, or any other documents that contain confidential information. Participants do not need to remove staples, folders, paper clips, or rubber bands from the documents. Compact discs or computer disks will not be accepted for shredding.

“If you’ve just finished your taxes or you have things that need to be destroyed you can bring it down,” McKeehan said.

Last year, Carter County Bank shredded and recycled more than 20,000 pounds of paper. The event has grown over the years to warrant two professional shred trucks to be on site.

The bank works with Shred-It, a professional shredding company, to provide this service to the community. The event is free and open to the public for consumers only. Businesses may contact Shred-It directly for information and pricing on professional services.