WHITEHORSE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TOLD TO CHANGE PASSWORDS AS A RESULT OF COMPUTER THEFT CBC North | NewsWebPosted Feb 3 2004 07:08 PM CST

WHITEHORSE - A break-in over the weekend at Yukon government offices has forced managers to take security precautions.

Yukon government employees were told Monday they could not log onto their computers unless they changed their passwords.

That directive to the territory's 4,000 workers came after thieves stole electronic equipment, including laptops and large computer units from the government's justice offices.

The offices housed workers in probation services, the family violence prevention unit, and community justice.

Sandra Bryce, the head of victim services, said Monday she didn't believe the stolen computers contained confidential and sensitive client information.

"We are in a secure area so they were not able to break into that area so we feel we can assure the public that their confidential information was not misused or accessed," she says.

Still, orders came to all Yukon government staff to change access codes the first working day after the breakins.

Police are continuing their investigation and are revealing very little information