Computers with Info. on Radioactive Materials Stolen!

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ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (AP) -- Eight state-owned computers containing details on all of the New Mexico companies that use radioactive material have been stolen, officials said Tuesday.

The names, addresses and phone numbers of more than 210 businesses are contained in the stolen computers, along with what radioactive materials each is licensed to have, said Bill Floyd, manager of the state Environment Department's Radiation Control Bureau.

Thieves took the eight computer towers from the bureau's office in Santa Fe either Thursday night or early Friday. Police were investigating.

While the files are legally accessible to the public, anyone seeking them would need to do so under the Freedom of Information Act, Floyd said.

He said he believed the culprits were seeking the machines themselves -- not the data in them. A room where hard copies of licensee files are kept was accessible to the thieves but nothing there was taken, he said.

Still, he added, "we don't like the fact that this information might fall into the hands of people who have something sinister up their sleeves."

The bureau has sent letters to all the companies, notifying them of the theft and advising them to watch for any suspicious activity.