1,689 iPhones stolen from locked DCF room Chris Mendez | usagoldmines.com

The Connecticut Division of Kids and Households (DCF) not too long ago reported the theft of 1,689 iPhones, which it believes had been stolen from a locked room that restricted workers had entry to. Whereas the telephones are offered free of charge to the division underneath the phrases of a contract state companies have with the Division of Administrative Providers (DAS), their estimated worth was $87,260, which the division might have claimed as an account credit score if the telephones had been recycled.

The theft was found on July 8 and reported to the Auditors of State Accounts via month-to-month loss reviews. Based on the report, the telephones had been stolen from a locked room utilized by DAS’ Bureau of Info Expertise Options (BITS) to help DCF workers. Three BITS workers and facility custodians had entry to the room, as did DCF engineering workers, who’ve a grasp key.

The stolen telephones embrace iPhone 11s, iPhone 12s, iPhone 12 minis, iPhone 13s, and iPhone SE 2022s. They had been bought between April 2020 and March 2024 and had been issued, returned, and had been ready to be upcycled.

Based on the report DCF submitted to state auditors, DCF notified the Connecticut State Police and the Workplace of Legislative Analysis, in addition to state auditors, as quickly because the theft was found. They then searched the ability to make sure the telephones and never been misplaced and performed a full stock of telephones to determine the serial numbers of the stolen telephones.

An arrest for the theft has not been publicly introduced.

Whereas BITS workers logged and tracked returns of all telephones slated to be recycled, DCF recognized a number of failures by the DAS crew as contributing to the theft.

“DAS BITS Helpdesk workers made the keys to the stock room accessible to all Helpdesk workers at any time. Contracted housekeeping workers ought to have had no cause to have entry to the stock room. Whereas DAS BITS Helpdesk workers did observe all the telephones upon return, they didn’t stock the telephones at any interval after their return. DAS BITS Helpdesk workers didn’t facilitate common recycle return of telephones with DCT (to scale back stock).” DAS’ report notes.

Following the theft, DAS has put a number of adjustments in place, together with rekeying the stock room in order that staff should swipe a card to enter and making a log of who has accessed the room. DCF may even now require BITS workers to enter the stock room two at a time. Housekeeping workers may even now not have entry.

As well as, DCF acknowledged it’s “evaluting it skill to extend its Asset Administration crew by 2 positions.” The brand new positions could be posted on the BITS helpdesk and full a month-to-month stock of telephones. BITS workers may even now be required to recycle returned telephones quarterly.