Rockland town paychecks in the wind

ROCKLAND, Mass. -- Hundreds of current and former Rockland town employees have been put at risk for identity theft after canceled paychecks being sent to a recycling facility blew out of the truck transporting them.

Town Administrator Allan Chiocca tells The Patriot Ledger of Quincy that the checks, dated between 1992 and 2002, were not shredded before being sent to the recycling facility last month. He says checks distributed before 1997 include bank account and Social Security numbers.

The exact number of checks that scattered is unknown, but town employees who retraced the vehicle's route recovered about 70.

Chiocca called the episode a "lapse of judgment" and the town is notifying employees of the situation.

Treasurer Karen Sepeck, who recycled the checks, said "I messed up."

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)