NEW JERSEY STOLEN COMPUTERS CONTAINED PERSONAL DATA ON HUNDREDS OF CLIENTS OF REALTY COMPANY Stolen PCs hold personal data on hundreds- NJ.com

Stolen PCs hold personal data on hundreds

Friday, November 16, 2007

By JASON LADAY

jladay@sjnewsco.com

VINELAND -- Computers containing the personal information of between 500 to 1,000 clients of A.J. Falciani Realty Company were taken in a burglary Wednesday night, police said Thursday.

Many of the stolen computers store the names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, telephone numbers and other information on the company's clients.

Albert Falciani, who owns and operates the East Oak Road business, told officers the computers contain about seven years worth of data.

In addition, a lock box that held listings of code lock information was taken.

According to police, the codes can be used to gain access into unoccupied residences, as well as those currently for sale.

Other items stolen from the business include several business checks and an unloaded handgun, still in its original packaging.

The Smith and Wesson model 459, 9-mm semi-automatic pistol had been kept a storage room hidden under a collection of other items, Falciani told police.

The owner stated the gun has never been used, and no ammunition is kept on the premises.

According to police, the handgun's serial number has been entered into the National Crime Information Center, a computerized law enforcement database used to track stolen property.

Repeated attempts to contact Falciani at his business and home went unanswered.

The first to notice the burglary was Valarie Smith-Putnam, who works at the realty office as a secretary.

Arriving at the office at 8:50 a.m., Smith-Putnam, 28, found "several computers and monitors taken from the business," according to the police report.

Smith-Putnam told police she found the main door, along with all the other doors to the building, locked and dead-bolted.

Officers later discovered a window on the east side of the building smashed out, with a brick laying nearby. Tire marks and broken glass were also seen at the rear of the business.

According to police, there appeared to be only one set of footprints leading to the back.

There were no witnesses to the theft, and the building is not equipped with an alarm or camera system, police said.

Falciani said he is awaiting the identification of the subjects before taking any complaint action. According to police, the subjects currently would face charges of burglary, theft and criminal mischief.