REPUBLIC HOSE FCU Stolen disk puts members at risk

According to police, the theft wasn't reported until Monday afternoon.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A computer disk containing personal information of all members of the Republic Hose Employee Federal Credit Union stolen earlier this month could put everyone whose information was on the disk at risk for identity theft.
The back-up disk, containing the names and Social Security numbers of all credit union members, was taken from inside a parked car sometime between Friday, July 9, and Monday, July 12, according to a Struthers police report.
The report states that a 34-year-old credit union employee left the disk in her car while it was parked in the driveway of her Moore Street home that weekend.
Letter
In a letter dated July 20 and allegedly sent to all credit union members, Jack Jones, manager/treasurer, wrote:
"On Friday, July 10, 2004, the credit union employee in the normal scope of her duties was taking the credit union's back-up disk to an off site location, as required by the Rules and Regulations of the National Credit Union Administration. She parked her car and left her valuables and the disk in the car. While she was in the house, her car was ransacked and some of her possessions were taken, along with the disk."
The letter goes on to urge credit union members to be alert to strange activities regarding their identities and to contact the credit union and the police if any suspicious activity occurs.
The letter also states that the theft was reported to the Struthers police and the FBI and that, "The general consensus is a couple of kids were looking for some fast money, and ditched the non-cash items down a sewer."
According to police, the theft wasn't reported until Monday, July 12, at 4:30 p.m.
As far as the theory that kids stole the disk and ditched it in a sewer is concerned, Detective Simone Ugolini, of the Struthers Police Department, said, "That information didn't come from police. We haven't taken that approach to any of these thefts."
Items from several parked cars have been stolen in recent weeks, Ugolini explained, and some things have been recovered.
No solid leads
So, far, there are no solid leads regarding who may be responsible for the theft of the credit union's computer disk, Ugolini said.
"We don't have any reason to believe that the data has been assessed and put to use," Ugolini added, "but we don't have any proof otherwise."
The only items listed as missing from the car on the police report are the back-up disk and some personal papers.
Credit union officials failed to return several calls from The Vindicator.
kubik@vindy.com