ROANOKE, Va. – If your junk drawer is overflowing with old bills and bank statements—listen up! This weekend, WSLS 10 is helping you clear the clutter and protect your identity—all for free. Let’s be honest: we all have that stack of paper we’ve been meaning to get rid of. Instead of just tossing it in the trash, why not shred it the safe way?
Join Us This Saturday, June 7
The WSLS 10 Shred Event is back to help you avoid becoming a victim of identity theft—because nothing says “summer fun” like aggressively destroying your 2006 tax returns! If your junk drawer is overflowing with old bills and bank statements, this is the perfect opportunity to take action.
Hannah Glasgow, Public Information Officer for Roanoke City Police, emphasizes the importance of these events: “By having these shred events, it helps lower that risk and it gives people a free way to dispose of those documents if they don’t own a shredder in their own homes.”
And that risk? It’s real. In 2024 alone, adults lost a staggering $47 billion to identity fraud and scams—that’s $4 billion more than last year, according to a new AARP report. If your junk drawer is overflowing with old bills and bank statements, now is the time to take control of your sensitive information.
Many individuals have faced the harsh realities of identity theft. One local resident shared, “My husband has had his identity stolen, bank accounts opened in his name. We have gone through a lot. We have insurance, identity theft insurance, but still, the time it takes, and I feel like some of the people committing the fraud are getting very good.”
Everyone handles sensitive paperwork differently. One person admitted, “No, I just throw them in the trash when I get them in the mail.” In contrast, another individual stated, “If it’s really important documents, I tend to tear them up, put them into a bucket of water, and kind of just let them disintegrate before I dispose of them in my trash.” But if your junk drawer is overflowing with old bills and bank statements, shredding them is a much safer option.
Bringing your documents to the WSLS 10 Shred Event is easier than waiting for disintegration and safer than tossing them into the abyss. As one person noted, “I think it’s important because you never know who’s out there. I mean, it’s a scary world, so I think it’s important to go.”
Here’s what you need to know: Bring up to three bags of documents to shred, and make sure to use the Rutherford entrance at the Berglund Center—that’s the one across from McDonald’s and Member One. We’ll be out there Saturday from 8 AM to noon.
If your junk drawer is overflowing with old bills and bank statements, don’t miss this opportunity to protect your identity and declutter your life! More information: 2025 Shred Event FAQ: Everything you need to know