NEW YORK - Investigators work to determine how shredded police documents ended up being tossed as confetti during the huge Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
College student Ethan Finklestein brought it to the attention of authorities after a piece of paper stuck to his friend's coat.
"There are phone numbers on it, addresses, more social security numbers, license plates' numbers," he explained to television station WPIX, "and then we find these incident reports from police."
The shredded records even included birth dates of undercover detectives and information about Mitt Romney's motorcade from the final presidential debate, which was held in Nassau County last month.
Finklestein and his father, an attorney, say they were concerned the information would be misused, so they took about 30 pieces home with them.
Detectives picked up the material Sunday. Some of the documents trace back to the Nassau County Police Department on Long Island.
A Macy's spokesperson says it does not use homemade confetti during the parades but adds that spectators frequently bring their own to throw.
The Nassau County Police Department is investigating and plans to review procedures for disposing of sensitive documents.
WPIX/CNN
