LOUISIANA (UPDATE) COMPUTER STOLEN Outbreak of ID fraud doubted- NOLA.com

Outbreak of ID fraud doubted

But 8,000 notified after computer stolen

Saturday, February 16, 2008

By Mary Sparacello

Kenner officials recently alerted more than 8,000 Food Bank recipients by letter that a computer containing their personal information was stolen in October, city officials said.

A flat-screen computer was stolen from the Food Bank, in the 1600 block of Rev. Richard Wilson Drive, formerly Third Street, in late October, said Deborah Miller Yenni, an attorney working for Kenner. There is no indication anyone's identity has been stolen or personal information compromised, she said.

The computer had on it a list of about 9,000 recipients of the Food Bank with their personal information, such as names, addresses and in some cases Social Security numbers.

Three Kenner police reports filed last year detailed break-ins at the Food Bank. One on Sept. 24 said someone broke two of the Food Bank's windows, one on Sept. 26 reported that a computer monitor and keyboard were stolen and one on Oct. 22 reported that someone smashed a window and stole computer equipment, valued at $900.

No arrests have been made, said Detective Shaun Watson, spokesman for the Kenner Police Department.

After reporting the October break-in to the Police Department, city attorneys alerted the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC told city officials to contact the state attorney general's office, which the city did, Yenni said.

State law governing notification about database security breaches says that personal notification is not necessary if "after a reasonable investigation the person or business determines that there is no reasonable likelihood of harm to customers."

City officials believed that is the case in this instance, Yenni said.

"What we think happened is that it was children and they took that computer because it was the newest one," she said. Burglars left other, older computers at the facility, she said. However, the attorney general's office said each affected Food Bank recipient still should be notified of the possible security breach, she said.

So, a couple of weeks ago, the city sent personal letters to more than 8,000 people, informing them of the break-in and information on credit reporting agencies and who to contact if they become a victim of identity theft -- local law enforcement and the FTC.

Since the letters were sent, Community Services Director Mary-Sharon Howland has received about 50 calls with questions, Yenni said. No one gave an indication their identity was used, she said.