The Attorney General of Kentucky has had his identity stolen less than a month after setting up a cyber-crime unit.

Jack Conway discovered the fraud after having his credit card refused while trying to buy music on iTunes.

Thieves stole his credit card details to buy thousands of dollars worth of computers and other goods.

Conway set up a state cyber-crime bureau earlier this month, and said that the unit is looking into the crime.

"They are suspicious of some delivery drivers that might be stealing credit cards in Kentucky," he said.

"They are also suspicious of restaurants that might not be as secure as they ought to be. It is a tough crime to stop because of the fast flow of information in our society."

The six-man cyber-crime unit was announced on 5 June and started operations last week. The unit was set up with identity theft as a number-one priority.