OHIO (UPDATE) YMCA TO UPGRADE SECURITY AFTER COMPUTERS STOLEN Police seek tips in Sidney YMCA break-in

Police seek tips in Sidney YMCA break-in

Thieves had targeted bank information for 1,000 members; facility plans to upgrade security.

By Kathy Leese

Contributing Writer

Thursday, November 15, 2007

SIDNEY — The Sidney-Shelby County YMCA is looking for ways to tighten security after a "sophisticated" break-in earlier this month in which thieves stole computers containing personal information about 1,000 members.

On Nov. 4, thieves broke a window at the Parkwood Street facility, circumvented the security system, and walked away with five computers, three flat-screen monitors, a laser printer, a scanner and hardware.

Sidney Police Lt. Jerry Tangeman believes the burglars were seeking personal information from the financial records of YMCA members.

"Getting this information was one of their main targets," YMCA Executive Director Ed Thomas said.

The burglary affected just under 1,000 YMCA members who had bank information on the hard drives. Other members with corporate sponsored memberships are not affected because their organizations handle memberships with payroll deductions.

Tangeman said banks recommended people whose information was taken to close their accounts.

The YMCA sent out a letter to members that, "Due to the severity of this breach and based on the recommendations from our national YMCA office, we are taking the painstaking steps to notify all financial institutions we deal with along with notifying all our staff and the over 2,000 members individually."

Thomas said that in the future all member files will be maintained off-site in a multi-level security system, but there are "no guarantees" in today's world of technology.

Thomas said the national YMCA is using what happened at the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA to help increase security at other branches.

Tangeman said the investigation is continuing and police and the YMCA are seeking information.

Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for this crime. An anonymous donor also gave the YMCA $5,000 for a reward — $2,500 for the safe recovery of functioning data files and $2,500 for an arrest. Anonymous tips can be given to Crime Stoppers at (937) 492-8477 (TIPS).