Theft occurs at elections office
By John Joyce
Published in News on February 26, 2016 1:46 PM
Two laptops reported stolen from a Wayne County Board of Elections building Thursday contained no sensitive data, Board of Elections director Dane Beavers said.
He said the machines were older models used strictly for testing purposes.
According to a Goldsboro police report, three laptops were taken sometime between 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at 8 a.m. Thursday. Unknown suspects broke out a south side window of the BOE building, located at 804 Corporate Drive, and removed the laptops, valued at a combined $1,800.
The suspects got away with two of the computers, but were forced to leave a third laptop behind after dropping it somewhere outside the building.
"We don't believe they ever made it inside the building," Beavers said. "There is a work bench that sits just inside the window there, I think they just reached in and grabbed the two machines."
Beavers said the theft will in no way impact preparations for the upcoming presidential primaries, early voting for which begins next Thursday. He stressed that no voter information or personal data was held on wither of the computers taken during the break-in.
"No. Absolutely not. We were lucky in that regard," he said. "Those (stolen) machines were used strictly for testing in preparation for the elections, you know, printing and that sort of thing," he said.
Additional computers that do contain sensitive voter data are stored in the same building where the break-in took place, but heightened security measures are being implemented, Beavers said.
"We have laptops in the other room being set up for the election," he said. "We did an immediate inventory and we have accounted for all of the other equipment."
Additional security being added to the building will include security windows and doors that are harder to break, as well as surveillance cameras.
"We are going to make it harder to get into that building, that is for sure," he said.
Preparations continue today as BOE staff members gear up for the upcoming election. Beavers encouraged voters to remember to turn out for early one stop voting, beginning March 3.
Primary election day is March 15, with polling stations opening from 6:30 a.m. through 7:30 p.m.