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Updated: 1:14 AM May 18, 2009
Charlottesville Voters Receive Identity Theft Warning Letter
Charlottesville voters are getting a warning in the mail this week from the City Registrar. It talks about the risk of identity theft after two laptops were stolen from a polling place last November.
Posted: 10:15 PM May 17, 2009Reporter: Bianca Spinosa Email Address: bianca.spinosa@wcav.tv |
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2 Comments 
May 17, 2009
Charlottesville voters are getting a warning in the mail this week from the City Registrar. It talks about the risk of identity theft after two laptops were stolen from a polling place last November.
A city official says those laptops still haven't been recovered. Together, they contained the voter information of about 28,000 Charlottesville voters. But so far, six months after the laptops were stolen, there have been no reported cases of identity theft.
The letter Charlottesville voters are receiving in the mail says social security numbers weren't on the computers stolen from the polling place at Tonsler Park in November.
Kathleen Wiesner lives near Tonsler Park and she voted there. Wiesner got her warning letter Saturday. She says it was long overdue.
"It was almost a slap in the face to get it sent so late, because at this point what are they going to do? And we know already," says Wiesner.
A city official says there was a communications breakdown between the State Board of Elections and the Charlottesville Registrar in terms of when to send the letter out.
Some information on those laptops were voters' names, DMV Identification numbers, year of birth, and addresses.
"What I like is it looks like the registrar's office is taking steps to mitigate it, and I think that's important," says Charlottesville City Councilor David Brown.
Brown also said he's relieved social security numbers weren't on the computers. City residents can get their DMV identification number re-issued for free if they're concerned.
Investigators told CBS19 when we first reported on the burglary on November 6th, 2008 that the laptops were likely sold for parts. That's what Wiesner thinks happened too.
"My guess is they just wanted the computers for the parts. and they weren't out for stealing identities."
But just in case those stolen laptops do turn up somewhere, the Charlottesville Registrar wants you to be prepared.
CBS19 couldn't reach the Registrar on Sunday for comment on the letter, but if you have concerns about identity theft check out the government's website.
Latest Comments
Glad to see they are telling us 6mos after the theft.
The customer number on a Virginia driver's license is a direct link to the social security number that, up until a few years ago, was on everybody's driver's license. Both numbers are in state databases.
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