Break-in at former daycare in Turku exposes decades-old personal data

A disused daycare facility in Turku, Finland, was broken into earlier this month, with thieves accessing archived personal records—some dating back 25 years—of children, staff, and trainees, reports public broadcaster Yle.

The break-in at the Kaerlantie daycare, which closed in February, occurred between March 6 and 10, authorities confirmed Wednesday. The intruders gained access to unarchived paper documents stored in the basement, including employee schedules, health records, early childhood education plans, and employment contracts. Some files contained confidential information subject to permanent retention requirements.

Vesa Kulmala, head of early childhood education services in Turku, estimated that the data breach may affect “dozens of former clients and employees” who were connected to the daycare between 2000 and 2012. However, the city stated there is no evidence the stolen data has been viewed or misused.

Individuals who were enrolled, employed, or completed internships at the Kaerlantie daycare during the specified period and wish to check if their data was compromised can contact the city at [email protected]. Modern records are now stored electronically in secure client information systems.

Police have filed a criminal report and launched an investigation. The compromised documents have since been removed from the premises.