Britain sees two more laptops disappear

There are some topics that just spit out news piece after news piece. Facebook, the iPhone, data protection (or lack there of) are all prime examples. It’s on this note that we bring you the latest update in whats turning out to be the largest free distribution of private data in very long time.

For now, there is not one but two more missing laptops roaming the streets of England.

Reports claim that on the 8th of February, while we were all busy being excited about it being Friday, a laptop from Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley took a leave of absence.

The laptop, of course, contained the personal details of thousands of unsuspecting Brtitons as is the norm these days.

Over 5,000 people (5,123 if you want to get finicky about things) have been informed that someone out there has their name, address and medical details.

In a refreshing turn of events, we’re informed that the laptop was password protected, which is a nice turn up for the cookbooks.

A police spokeswoman said : "West Midlands Police is investigating the theft of a laptop computer from Russells Hall Hospital on January 8, 2008.

"The Fujitsu Siemens Lifebook laptop was taken from an office in the outpatient department some time between 2.15pm and 4.15pm.”

As usual anyone who has any information is invited to contact the authorities. Sigh.

The theft of the hospital laptop comes just one day after a laptop in Victoria Law Courts in Birmingham went walkies.

The theft of this particular laptop was kept on the down low. The computer, which for once didn’t contain the personal details of a devastating amount of people (SHOCKER, we know), reportedly went missing from an office in the court sometime over Christmas but it wasn’t announced until the 7th of February.

A spokesman for Her Majesty’s Courts Service (HMCS) said that most of the information on the laptop was already public domain and that it did not include information on victims or witnesses.

"While this theft is regrettable, the majority of the information held on the laptop is already in the public domain and relates only to individuals that have received a criminal conviction and have failed to comply with the orders of the court."

Tune in next week when we’ll more than likely have been informed of another missing laptop, failing that, the Managing Editor is always losing his Filofax.