BANGOR – Maine’s large elderly population and increasing drug problem are contributing to a rise in identity theft, officials said Wednesday.

Addressing an audience of 50 Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce members, Attorney General Steven Rowe touted prevention techniques and reporting procedures as ways to help victims of identity theft.

According to Rowe, most cases arise from a close relationship between a trusting, lonely senior citizen and an untrustworthy person – sometimes a family member – who steals credit card numbers, checks and mail.

He said the foremost reason the elderly are targeted is their tendency to have good credit ratings.

“Sometimes you can’t protect people from themselves, and they just give away their money,” said Rowe. “It’s sad that often the perpetrators are people they love.”

The Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office has seen a surge in identity theft crimes primarily because of Maine’s escalating drug problem.

Sheriff Glenn Ross said Wednesday that perpetrators enter homes legally and do little to conceal their crime, boosting the likelihood of getting caught.

“We have people on camera stealing checks who know they’re being recorded, but they need to buy drugs,” Ross said.

In a recent case, 27 checks were stolen from homes throughout the region, he said. With no regard for possible arrest, the perpetrator co-signed and cashed thousands of dollars’ worth of checks. Deputies spotted the suspect last week on Main Street in Bangor, chased him down on foot and made the arrest. Ten bags of heroin were found in the suspect’s possession, according to Ross.

He encouraged victims to cast aside embarrassment and file a complaint first with local law enforcement, then, if necessary, with the Federal Trade Commission. However, local police often don’t have jurisdiction to arrest identity thieves because of the crime’s federal nature, and the FTC rarely takes a case unless it’s widespread.

“This crime requires a lot of police work to solve,” Ross said, “but all of it can be prevented through education. ”

Rowe said the FTC is a clearinghouse for identity theft reports. It can recognize bogus mailings from self-proclaimed banks and phony credit card offers as nationwide trends.

The “skimming” technique of stealing identities involves people who use electronic storage devices to steal debit and credit card numbers used for purchases. Restaurant servers are often the perpetrators, but Rowe said Maine law that classifies skimming as a Class D crime has kept incidences low.

Rowe recommended taking precautions such as removing personal information from wallets. He said Medicare cards are important to carry but contain Social Security numbers. A bill pending in the U.S. Congress aims to change that.

Everyone is entitled to at least three free credit file disclosures annually – one from each of the three agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Federal law permits these bureaus to charge up to $9 per additional copy. Visit www.annualcreditreport.com.