LA Residents' Private Information Left Exposed In Abandoned Lot
POSTED: 6:21 am PST February 15, 2008
UPDATED: 6:52 am PST February 19, 2008


LOS ANGELES -- A KNBC investigation revealed how the city of Los Angeles might have put thousands of people at risk of having their identities stolen. Investigative Reporter Joel Grover was tipped off that the city left outside, for anyone to take, boxes and boxes of confidential files on its citizens.

Video: Joel Grover Report

KNBC found private information on thousands of people sitting outside of an abandoned lot in LA -- everything you'd need to steal someone's identity, Grover reported.


"I don't want to go through it again," said Laura Weir. "Once was enough."

Weir had her identity stolen once before, with thieves charging thousands of dollars in her name.

The records KNBC found contain names, driver's license numbers, dates of birth, checking account information and Social Security numbers.
"I couldn't believe it, that it was just sitting there," Weir said.

KNBC found the confidential files sitting outside two abandoned city animal shelters, one in West Los Angeles and one in Van Nuys, which the city closed nine months ago.

The city took the animals but left behind investigative files that contained sensitive information about pet owners and about people who complained about their neighbors' pets. The city also left the medical records of people bitten by animals.

"When they're through with them, they should shred them," Weir said.

In fact, the files were supposed to be destroyed, Grover reported. Now, it appears thieves have gone through the building and the boxes of documents.

"Somebody is in deep trouble," said Jay Foley, who runs the Identity Theft Resource Center. "There is a photocopy of this gentleman's driver's license, as well as his Social Security card. That's all I need to steal his identity."

Foley examined the files KNBC found, like that of Shawn Aghdassi, a pet owner and small businessman who has also had his identity stolen twice.

Aghdassi said he expected the city would be more careful with his private information.

"You're supposed to trust the government," Aghdassi said.

So how does the city explain leaving this confidential information just lying around?

Ed Boks, the head of animal service, refused to talk to KNBC. But in an e-mail he said that when the city was moving to a shelter "our complete focus rested on the animals." And, as a result, paper records were not properly disposed of. He promised it would "not happen again."

"The city needs to take a very strong look at the way they're handling things, the way they're doing things, to make sure this doesn't happen again," Foley said.

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http://www.knbc.com/news/15310148/detail.html