Heist At State L&I Office Nabs Hard Drives With Sensitive Information

TUKWILA, WA — A break-in at a Washington State Department of Labor & Industries regional office netted the thieves a haul of laptops, cellphones, office equipment, door access key cards, gas cards.

But they also got their hands on state hard drives, potentially compromising the personal data of L&I employees, their dependents, and the hundreds of people who have recently worked with or been investigated by that office.

The break-in took place on March 28 at L&I's Tukwila office. The office was thoroughly trashed, but has since reopened. In the month since the burglary, L&I says there has been no evidence the stolen hard drives or the info contained within have been used in any way, as the drives are encrypted and would require considerable work and skill to access. That said, if the thieves were to crack them open, the drives contain all sorts of critical information, like Social Security numbers, email addresses and passwords, dates of birth, and even medical or health insurance info.

“We know how concerning it can be when your information may have been improperly accessed,” said Steve Reinmuth, L&I Assistant Director for Field Services and Public Safety. “We’re making it a priority to investigate this and notify the public. We’re also setting up help for those who may need it.”

The State Office of the Attorney General has been notified of the theft, as has the Tukwila Police Department, whose investigation into the burglary is ongoing. L&I has also said it is reviewing data security and physical security to prevent similar incidents in the future.

While police investigate, L&I has opened a call center to answer questions for anyone whose data may have been compromised. That includes anyone who:

• Have filed a complaint, question, or other form with the L&I Tukwila office;
• Have had involvement as a witness or subject of a case with the L&I Tukwila office;
• Have had involvement as an employer or employee in a claim made to the L&I Tukwila office;
• Are or recently have been an employee or dependent of an employee based in, or whose supervisor is based in, the L&I Tukwila office; or
• Have had other business with the L&I Tukwila office.

The call center can be reached at 1-833-940-2302. It is accessible from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, excluding federal holidays. Callers may also qualify for free credit monitoring, courtesy of L&I.

>> Learn more about the break-in from the Department of Labor & Industries.