NORTH CAROLINA COMPUTERS STOLEN http://m.fayobserver.com/articles?path=/articles/2012/10/02/1208224
Laptops stolen from Robeson elections board spark ID theft fears
Ali Rockett
Staff writer
LUMBERTON - All 71,000 registered Robeson County voters should have received letters notifying them that five laptop computers containing their personal information were stolen from the Robeson County Board of Elections last month.
Dock Locklear, director of the board, said the computers went missing between July 18 when updates were installed and Sept. 4 when they were discovered missing. They were last used during the one-stop voting period in May.
Between July and September, Locklear said, a staff member was tasked with removing supplies from the padlocked room where the computers were kept. She enlisted the help of two community volunteers, he said.
"She felt like it was too much to do herself," Locklear said, "leaving those individuals to work and not supervising them."
The elections office has notified the Lumberton Police Department, the State Board of Elections, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Attorney General's Office.
The computers, which were protected by multiple passwords, contained voters' names, addresses, dates of birth, the last four digits of their Social
Security numbers and possibly their driver's license numbers.
A letter dated Sept. 12 advises voters "to be vigilant by reviewing account statements and monitoring free credit reports" to prevent identity theft. "It is unknown whether the thief has been able to open the laptop or obtain access to the information," the letter reads.
Locklear said it is free to initiate a 90-day fraud alert or conduct a credit check.
"In talking to other boards that have had similar thefts, it appears that if this information has been uncovered, it would already be out there showing up on these reports," Locklear said.
Audrey Hunt, of Fairmont, appeared before the county Board of Commissioners on Monday night to say she had just received the notification letter this past weekend.
"This really scares me," Hunt said. "This should have never happened. I've never experienced it (identity theft) myself, but I know people that have and it takes years to get your name straight."
Locklear has ordered five replacement laptops that will be equipped with multiple passwords and encryption software to prevent future security breaches, he said.
County Manager Ricky Harris said the elections board also plans to clear the computers' memories following elections.
Staff writer Ali Rockett can be reached at rocketta@fayobserver.com or 486-3528.
Dock Locklear, director of the board, said the computers went missing between July 18 when updates were installed and Sept. 4 when they were discovered missing. They were last used during the one-stop voting period in May.
Between July and September, Locklear said, a staff member was tasked with removing supplies from the padlocked room where the computers were kept. She enlisted the help of two community volunteers, he said.
"She felt like it was too much to do herself," Locklear said, "leaving those individuals to work and not supervising them."
The elections office has notified the Lumberton Police Department, the State Board of Elections, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Attorney General's Office.
The computers, which were protected by multiple passwords, contained voters' names, addresses, dates of birth, the last four digits of their Social
Security numbers and possibly their driver's license numbers.
A letter dated Sept. 12 advises voters "to be vigilant by reviewing account statements and monitoring free credit reports" to prevent identity theft. "It is unknown whether the thief has been able to open the laptop or obtain access to the information," the letter reads.
Locklear said it is free to initiate a 90-day fraud alert or conduct a credit check.
"In talking to other boards that have had similar thefts, it appears that if this information has been uncovered, it would already be out there showing up on these reports," Locklear said.
Audrey Hunt, of Fairmont, appeared before the county Board of Commissioners on Monday night to say she had just received the notification letter this past weekend.
"This really scares me," Hunt said. "This should have never happened. I've never experienced it (identity theft) myself, but I know people that have and it takes years to get your name straight."
Locklear has ordered five replacement laptops that will be equipped with multiple passwords and encryption software to prevent future security breaches, he said.
County Manager Ricky Harris said the elections board also plans to clear the computers' memories following elections.
Staff writer Ali Rockett can be reached at rocketta@fayobserver.com or 486-3528.
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