Identity theft is always a threat on the Internet, but in the rural countryside criminals don't need hacking skills to get your personal information.

Friday morning Betty Davin discovered a suspicious looking man near her driveway in Jefferson County.

"When he turned the corner he really sped up and then I seen he was throwing stuff out and I thought he was littering," Davin said.

That stuff turned out to be mail from two miles West at NE 31st and Kinkaid in Soldier Township.

"Every piece was opened, things that didn't look important weren't opened," Davin said.

Important pieces like credit card statements and outgoing bill payments. Shirley Farrell says this isn't the first time it's happened to her.

"About three years ago our mail was stolen out of our box, mail to be picked up, and we had about three checks in the mailbox," Farrell said.

She says with a mailbox out in the open it's important to take precautions.

"We don't put anything in the mailbox anymore we just take it to the Post Office," Farrell said.

This recent theft has left Farrell feeling helpless.

"Sometimes you don't find out until you get something like a late fee."

The U.S. Post Office declined but said the incident has been referred to postal inspectors.