NEW YORK MOUNT ST MARY'S HOSPITAL COMPUTERS CONTAINING PATIENTS PERSONAL INFORMATION STOLEN 2 On Your Side - News - Mount St. Mary's Warning On Information Theft

Updated: 2/16/2006 6:25:09 PM

Mount St. Mary's Hospital in Lewiston is warning about 17,000 of its former patients that their personal information was on laptop computers stolen in an armed robbery in New Jersey.

Hospital officials sent out letters which advise some patients who were admitted between 2001 through 2004 that data with their names, addresses, dates of birth, and social security numbers was on files in the laptops. But the letter also points out that the laptops and the data files have security passwords which would probably prevent access of the files.

The robbery occurred at the New Jersey office of a national consulting firm which is doing business with Mount St. Mary's and other hospitals. The worker's wallet was stolen along with the laptops by a suspect who was already identified by police. There is a warrant for his arrest.

The hospital is advising the affected former patients to contact one of three credit reporting firms so they can place a free fraud alert on their credit file to prevent any possible identity theft issues. Those patients can also request a free credit report from one of the firms. Those firms are Equifax at 1-800-525-6285 or Experian at 1-888-397-3742 or Trans Union at 1-800-680-7289.

Patients with concerns can also contact the Mount St. Mary's Hospital Assistance Line at 298-2000 Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 3 PM.