WINNIPEG COMPUTER STOLEN FROM OFFICES OF PRUDENT BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION SERVICESCBC Manitoba - Stolen computer contains personal info on thousandsStolen computer contains personal info on thousands Last Updated May 25 2005 06:55 PM CDT
CBC News
WINNIPEG – The personal information of thousands of Canadians may be in the hands of criminals after a break-in at a benefits administration office in Winnipeg.

The offices of Prudent Benefits Administration Services were broken into on May 2. The company administers employee benefit plans, such as health and dental plans, on behalf of other employers.

Police say at least one of the company's computers was stolen, and the machine's hard drive contained the names, addresses, social insurance numbers and other personal data for thousands of employees and retirees from several companies, including Safeway, Superstore and Maple Leaf.

About 15,000 of the people affected are represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union. Union president Robert Ziegler says he was surprised and disappointed to learn of the theft, but he says Prudent is taking proper steps to notify people who could be affected.

"Every person who's affected is getting a letter indicating what happened and advising them of the right steps to take, who they should phone and what they should be watchful of," such as keeping an eye on bank accounts and credit information, says Ziegler.

Ziegler says a guard was on duty and a security system was in place at the time of the theft, but Prudent is now stepping up its security.

No one from Prudent Benefits was available for comment on Wednesday.