The Central Coventry Fire District has asked the Rhode Island State Police to criminally investigate an apparent break-in to a file cabinet and theft of confidential personnel records.
The district also wants the state police to investigate a possible unauthorized accessing of privileged computerized financial information.
David M. D’Agostino, lawyer for the district board of directors, requested the investigation in a letter dated Aug. 9 to Maj. Joseph F. Philbin, state police detective commander. Philbin said Wednesday that he is considering whether to conduct a probe.
The apparent break-in — the file cabinet lock was broken — likely occurred in March or April and was discovered belatedly, according to D’Agostino. Personnel records pertaining to the seven-member board of directors are missing and presumed stolen, he said.
Also missing and presumed stolen or misappropriated is information thought to have been contained in the personnel file of an injured firefighter, D’Agostino said.
The file cabinet, in the fire station at 240 Arnold Rd., has been secured anew with a padlock, he said.
The second part of the requested investigation arises from a taxpayer’s social media posting in late May or early June in which the individual showed specific knowledge about a bank account that likely was obtained by someone with access to the district computer system, D’Agostino explained.