HOMEOWNERS have been warned to ensure their personal details do not become public property, after an operation to cut down on identity theft in Darlington caught three suspects in one night.

Wardens combing streets and back lanes in the Neasham Road and Eastbourne Road areas of town early yesterday morning found one woman in the act of searching through a bin bag.

Two men were also found to be acting suspiciously, and were stopped for questioning.

Police arrested the woman on suspicion of theft at about 6.30am, and later granted her bail pending further inquiries. The two men were given formal warnings by the wardens, which are kept on record and can be used in legal proceedings.

Darlington Borough Council launched an operation to crack down on identity theft, particularly from household rubbish, after recent statistics showed a national increase in the number of cases.

The project was set up after reports that bin bags in the town were being searched by people looking for credit card and other personal details, which can be used fraudulently to obtain money and goods.

Council wardens will be carrying out similar operations throughout the town in the coming months, concentrating on back lanes where bin bags are left and can be searched more easily.

They also hope to promote awareness of the problem, and encourage residents across Darlington to dispose of their personal details carefully.

Councillor Stephen Harker, Darlington Borough Council's cabinet member for consumer and environmental services warned householders to be cautious.

"Thieves are looking for any personal details that people have thrown away," he said.

"Just because you have finished with a letter, bill or bank statement does not mean it is rubbish.

"The information can be very useful to a criminal.

"Although our wardens are mounting these successful operations to catch offenders there is a lot that residents can do to help themselves.

"People should not put their bin bags out early either in the street or a back lane.

"Any personal information or letters should be shredded or cut up into small pieces before it is thrown out as this makes it a lot harder for any details to be stolen."