TODAY the ECHO exposes a haul of official documents picked up at Merseyside tips.
The security lapses have created a potential haven for identity theft - Britain's fastest-growing crime.
Among items obtained by the ECHO from a concerned former contractor of Merseyside Waste Holdings are passports, custody records and a letter to police from an MP.
Even more disturbing was the discovery of an airline pilot'suniform and a cabin crew jacket.
Six months ago, the ECHO raised similar concerns about security at Otterspool tip and Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA) pledged to launch an investigation.
Today, when confronted with the latest revelations, the taxpayer-funded organ-isation initially threatened the ECHO with prosecution for possession of stolen goods.
The hundreds of pages of personal and official documents we obtained included:
* A birth certificate
* Four passports
* Bank statements and a valid debit card
* Custody records and private letters from an MP to a high ranking Cheshire police officer
* Medical records from two private hospitals and a blank prescription pad
* An airline pilot's uniform and a cabin crew jacket.