http://www.paradisepost.com/ci_7379845 

By Jennifer Barker
Staff Writer
11/06/2007

A laptop with customers' personal information including names, 
addresses, social security numbers and bank account numbers was stolen 
from Butte Community Bank sometime in October.

A notice form the bank dated Oct. 24 was sent to customers whose 
personal information was believed to be on the laptop. The notice states 
the laptop was stolen earlier that month. Customers including The Post, 
did not receive notification until the first week in November. According 
to the notice the data on the stolen laptop was protected by a password 
intended to prevent unauthorized individuals from accessing the private 
information.

The circumstances of the theft suggested the thief was interested only 
in the laptop and not the bank's information, according to the bank's 
notice. A concerned customer and Post employee Katie Stecher said she 
received the notice this weekend. She called the bank with concerns 
regarding the safety of her account.

She said a customer service representative of the bank, told her the 
laptop was stolen from an employee who travels to each branch. The bank 
doesn't allow employees to take computers with personal banking 
information out of the building. The bank did not say which branch the 
employee was working from or where he was traveling to when the laptop 
was stolen. The employee who was responsible for the laptop was held 
accountable, according to the bank representative.

The bank notice said it is possible that a computer hacker could get 
past the security system that was intended to protect the information on 
the computer. If that happened it is possible the personal information 
may be misused.

Stecher said she asked the bank representative if she should be worried, 
the representative replied on a scale from one to 10 it would be two, 
though she suggested monitoring accounts for the next year. The 
representative said the bank will assume liability for any missing funds 
reported to the bank within a month of discovering they're missing. 
Community member Brian Alexander called The Post with concerns regarding 
his bank account.

He called the bank and they told him they would take on liability for 
any problems resulting from the stolen information. Alexander said he 
would feel more confident if that statement was in writing. The bank 
notice didn't guarantee the bank would take responsibility for loss of 
funds. The Post called the bank to get further information on the 
situation.

President Keith Robbins' receptionist at the Chico Ad-ministration 
Center said Robbins had no comment and suggested to tell any concerned 
citizens to call the bank's toll-free number at (866)488-8588 if they 
have any questions. Strecher said she was told by the bank 
representative the bank has received calls from many concerned community 
members.


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