Secret letters left in abandoned care facility, Yle reports

Yle reports that confidential documents belonging to as many as dozens of people were left in an abandoned institution for people with intellectual disabilities in Lapland.

Stacks of unopened letters were found on the floors of the deserted building, along with cabinets containing bank passbooks dating from the early 1990s. Yle has reviewed images showing letters scattered throughout the building.

Some of the letters were sent by Kela and banks and would typically contain sensitive information, including personal identity codes. Yle has concealed the individuals’ personal details.

Yle is not disclosing the building’s exact location because the documents are believed to still be inside. The building is privately owned and can be entered through several unlocked doors.

Police had no information about the documents

Lapland police told Yle that they had no information about the documents and were not investigating a case matching the description.

The incident could potentially meet the criteria for a data protection offence. Such an offence can, for example, lead to identity theft.

Similar cases have led to criminal investigations. In 2021, sensitive documents were found within a short period of time in empty hospital premises in Pirkanmaa. They included private information about former hospital residents and documents containing staff members’ names.

Police opened an investigation into documents found at least in the grounds of the former Ylinen rehabilitation centre. The investigation was suspended after police failed to identify a suspect.