AG Nixon announced criminal charges today against a band of people who allegedly used their positions in government to steal the IDs of Missouri citizens, some of whom are mentally disabled.

If true, these allegations prove:

• ID thieves do indeed get caught
• You can't protect your ID, no matter how careful you are. That is yet another reason why we say over and over: check your free credit report three times a year. That way you'll be able to detect any new accounts set up in your name.

Our ID theft publication has more on preventing and detecting this crime.