Do you worry about your car getting stolen or even your identity? If you don't think you'll be affected, Colorado Springs police said think again. These crimes are growing in our community and they say they can be tied to one common factor: methamphetamine.

One former addict told 11 News that once you get hooked, you'll do anything to get more.

An unimaginable amount of energy, a dream-like world is how Jason Jackson described his life for 12 years. "I didn't usually stay awake past 2-3 days."

He asked we didn't reveal his face or his real name. Jackson said he started using meth when he was 16. "When I started shooting up, I was careful not to share needles. I swore by that, but the time came when drugs were around and there were no new needles. You want to get high, so you break all moral codes."

Jackson’s addiction and dependency eventually began to cost him. "Probably hundreds of thousands of dollars. It wasn’t all my money, but other people's money."

Whether it's snorted or smoked, Meth isn't cheap. "The price of meth went from $700-800 an ounce, to now, $1600. It doubled in price," an undercover detective with Springs police told 11 News.

Price can't stand in the way, addicts said, if it means getting high or getting caught. "They go to ID theft to get money," said Colorado Springs Police Detective Jason Ledbetter.

He said ID thefts have skyrocketed. Ninety percent of the 1,500 cases from last year were meth users trying to get your money. "A person who's using meth can't hold a normal job. They need to feed their daily habit," said Ledbetter.

He said they'll break into cars, burglarize homes and even dig through the trash. They’ll do anything to get their hands on personal information. That information, the detective said, gets passed on to numerous other addicts to use.

"It's a large problem. That’s why the department created the Financial Crimes Unit and gave us seven detectives just to work on ID theft," the detective said.

"I stole from family and friends," admitted Jackson.

He said users will do anything to feed their habit, which eats away at the body. "I weighed 145 pounds. I was grey and yellow. My face was sunken in. I was scary. I couldn't look in the mirror," said Jackson.

That was his breaking point. He said he lost his friends, family and his life was worthless, but with the help of support groups and rehab, Jackson is off meth. Now, he’s helping others to turn in their lives of crime and drugs and turn their lives around to recovery and hope.

The end of this month marks eight years of sobriety for Jackson.

Police said one of the best ways to protect yourself from ID theft is to shred all your documents before throwing them into the trash.

Another way crooks can get your identity is by going through your mail and stealing those pre-approved credit card offers.

If you want to opt out of those pre-approved offers, call 1-888-5-OPTOUT.